Stray dog menace: HC asks Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh policy

Taking a serious note of stray dog menace, the Punjab and Haryana High Court here today asked governments of the two states and the Chandigarh civic body to produce before it their schemes to tackle the problem.
The court also directed Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh municipal corporation to show it their policy for giving compensation to the dog bite victims, dying or suffering injuries, or to their families.
Hearing a plea by Ram Kumar of Samana who sought compensation from the Punjab government and the municipal council of Samana for the death of his 12-year-old son Ankit due to dog bite on March 5, 2014, the bench of Justice Rakesh Jain issued notice for July 12 to Punjab and Haryana governments and Chandigarh administration and local bodies director of the twin states.

The court also asked the Advocate General of Punjab and Haryana and senior standing counsel of UT Chandigarh administration to appear before it on July 12 for assisting the court.
Justice Jain also directed the respondents to produce before it their respective policies framed, not only for preventing the menace of stray dog bite, but also on the issue of grant of compensation to the victims of such stray dog bites, or their families.
Kumar had prayed for directions to State of Punjab and municipal council of Samana to pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh to him for their failure to end the stray dog menace, leading to death of his son who was bitten while he was playing outside his house in Samana.

After about six weeks, when he took his son to Civil Hospital in Samana, for the 5thdose of anti-rabies injection, his son became unconscious after injection was administered and diedon the spot.
He held MC, Samana responsible for the death of his son, and contended that the State of Punjab was also vicariously liable for the death of Ankit.