Kochi: Kerala High Court on Wednesday held that the mandatory duty of the state government and Animal Welfare Board of India (AWB) is to save citizens from the stray dog menace. The court made it clear that the authorities should not relinquish their duty citing statutory obligations.
Criticising the state government, local bodies and AWB for not taking appropriate measures to control the menace, the court held that there is a steep increase in dog bite cases. Hundreds of deaths are being reported which is a fact that should alarm the local authorities, government and AWB, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A. M. Shaffiqe observed while considering a batch of petitions.
Although 2001 Rules were enforced providing for statutory obligation on the local authorities with regard to the animal control programme, no sufficient steps have been taken. The court also observed that Section 9(f) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 empowers AWB to take all such steps as the board may think fit to ensure that unwanted animals are destroyed by local authorities. There is nothing on record to indicate that steps have been taken by the AWBI as per the said section.
Senior advocate Jaju Babu appearing for the AWB contended that killing of dogs as a means to control dog population has not worked anywhere in the world. The state, meanwhile, submitted that it has taken several measures for controlling dog menace. The court lauded the efforts of advocate Basil Attipetty who died on Tuesday for assisting the court in the stray dog issue.
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