THE Supreme Court’s latest and stern observation on growing menace of stray dogs have once again brought civic accountability into sharp focus, particularly in cities like Jabalpur, where the problem has persisted for years with little visible intervention by the municipal authorities. The apex court made it clear that responsibility does not rest with governments alone.

 

Individuals and organisations feeding stray dogs in public places can also be held accountable. The court warned that heavy fines and compensation would be imposed for every dog bite incident and death if the State administration fails to put effective preventive mechanisms in place. These fresh directions have special relevance for Jabalpur. A few months ago, the Supreme Court had asked civic bodies to identify and develop designated feeding zones for street dogs so that feeding in public places, residential colonies and busy roads could be regulated. However, the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation (JMC) has barely moved beyond paperwork.

 

No dedicated feeding zones have been developed, nor has any public awareness campaign been launched to implement the court’s earlier directions. As a result, the city continues to grapple with frequent dog bite incidents, growing fear among residents and repeated clashes between dog feeders and citizens. Children, elderly people and morning walkers remain the most vulnerable. Despite the same, JMC’s response has largely been reactive rather than preventive. The Supreme Court, during the latest hearing, observed that failure in proper implementation of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules has worsened the situation nationwide.

 

It underlined that compassion cannot be selective and questioned why emotions are shown only for animals, while human safety is often ignored. The court also made it clear that if someone feeds a stray dog, the animal should be kept under supervision, licensed and treated as a pet, not left free to roam and attack people. In Jabalpur, the ground reality stands in sharp contrast to these observations. ABC programmes have remained patchy, data on sterilisation and vaccination is rarely shared publicly and there is no clear accountability when aggressive dogs are reported. In Jabalpur, victims of dog bites often find themselves running from hospitals to police stations, with no clarity on liability or compensation.

 

What is missing in Sanskardhani is political will, administrative urgency and a structured action plan. With the apex court now warning of penalties and accountability for both authorities and feeders, pressure is mounting on JMC to act. Designated feeding zones, transparent ABC implementation, strict action against unsafe feeding in public places and protection of citizens are no longer optional. Unless the Municipal Corporation shifts quickly from indifference to decisive action, the stray dog problem in Jabalpur will continue to linger without solutions. Issues will keep getting discussed, but ground-level results will remain missing. Meanwhile, general public will continue to pay the price in fear, injuries and compromised public safety.