HC seeks govt, civic agencies reply on PIL over dog bite cases

Concerned over increasing menace of stray dogs in the city, the Delhi High Court today asked government and civic agencies to inform it about the steps taken in this regard.
Issuing notices to Delhi government and also to the civic agencies-NDMC and trifurcated MCDs, a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed sought their response by October 23 on a PIL which highlighted the issue.
The bench, also comprising Justice Vibhu Bakhru, in its order said "All shall file affidavits indicating the steps including the sterilisation carried by them in their respective areas since 2010 till date.
"The affidavit shall also indicate availability of anti-rabies vaccine in the government hospitals," the court said and sought the affidavit in four weeks.

The court was hearing the PIL filed by S K Singh, an advocate, seeking direction to the authorities to sterilise street dogs and take proper steps to prevent dog bites.
The plea said there has been 30,608 cases of dog bites in 2012-13 as compared to 17,000 in 2011-2012 in the city and referred to an MCD report in which the agency had said that despite sterilisation drives, the number of dogs in the city have increased to 1.35 lakh.
According to the plea, the street dogs are neither vaccinated nor is there anyone to look after them, hence they are suffering from various infectious diseases.

The PIL sought direction to the government to provide sufficient anti-rabies vaccines in all government and private hospitals and also sought compensation to the sufferers of the dog bites.