HOW an issue of crucial importance is viewed by the bureaucracy in India can be comprehended by the apathetic response of the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories to a Supreme Court order mandating details of steps taken to tackle the stray dogs menace in the country. All the officials -- barring from West Bengal and Telangana -- have invited the apex court’s wrath for failing to file compliance affidavits detailing steps taken to implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. The Supreme Court had issued directions to this effect during a significant hearing on the stray dogs issue in August this year. But the top court has been left fuming by the response of the Chief Secretaries who have been sleeping over this matter, putting several lives in danger.

 

What the bench observed during the chiding of the bureaucracy sums up the proportion the problem of stray dogs has assumed in India. “Continuous incidents are happening, and the image of the country is being shown as down in the eyes of foreign nations,” the bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice N V Anjaria stated while pulling up the Chief Secretaries for not reading the news reports on stray dogs inflicting grievous and sometimes fatal injuries to unassuming citizens. Clearly, the issue is going out of hands. It has remained a grave problem for people across towns, villages, and metros despite media highlighting incidents of stray dogs mauling children and senior citizens.

 

The fear stoked by these packs of strays was a trigger of the bunch of petitions seeking a solution for this menace. The Supreme Court showed great urgency to take up the matter with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Mr. Justice Bhushan Gavai passing an order to impound stray dogs for sterilisation. The court had specifically asked the civic authorities to implement the ABC rules to check further growth of stray dogs. Yet, precious little has been achieved on this front. Experience has shown that containing the population of strays can be achieved only through the ABC mechanism. Though it is an expensive solution, the States are duty-bound to take measures to fight this dangerous problem. The Supreme Court had clearly asked for immediate implementation of the ABC Rules and file details within a stipulated time. The lack of interest shown by the civic authorities prove that the ruling class and the bureaucracy are hardly bothered by the matters of life and death plaguing the common man. The Supreme Court must also take note of the previous experience with implementation of ABC.

 

It has proved ineffectual due to many factors including the disinterest of the civic authorities to impound and sterilise stray dogs. No State has ever touched the required number of 70 percent sterilisation coverage till date. But with sterilisation of strays being seen as a potent weapon to deal with this menace, it is incumbent upon the States and also animal rights activists to become equal stakeholders in the process under strict supervision of the apex court. The State and NGOs must not take the issue lightly. It is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. There is simply no mechanism to deal with the stray dogs menace other than putting them into dog shelters and sterilisation. Their unchecked growth must be stopped for the sake of innocent lives. Media reports detailing the gory incidents of kids and old people being attacked by packs of hungry strays cannot be brushed as a routine thing. It concerns life of people, near and dear ones, and also the image of the country. India cannot afford to look as an apathetic society being governed by authorities who prefer to remain in their slumber. The land that worships dogs as companions of gods also needs to pay heed to the fact that pampering without proper checks can lead to an uncontrollable menace.