Stray Dog Menace In Kashmir Warrants 'Serious Attention': HC

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- The menace posed by stray dogs warrants immediate and serious attention, the High Court of J&K and Ladakh has said.

Hearing clubbed Public Interest Litigations, a bench of Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice M.A. Chowdhary said that issues raised in these PILs require urgent deliberation and appropriate remedial measures to mitigate the threat to public safety.

Meanwhile, Ms. Gauri Maulekhi, filed an application, putting forth various suggestions in compliance to order dated February 11 whereby she was directed to submit her suggestions on the issue of dog population management in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

She was impleaded as party respondent last year to assist the court after she contended among others that she is a member of State Animal Birth Control Implementation and Monitoring Committee of Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttarkhand, and has shown keen interest in proper management of the street dogs which has created various issues for the public.

T.M. Shamsi, DSGI, submitted that a compliance report, in terms of order dated 11 February 2025, has been filed.“He shall ensure that a copy of the said report is furnished to Ms. Gauri Maulekhi forthwith, either through e-mail or WhatsApp,” the court said.

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Bikramdeep Singh, Dy. AG, submitted that in a connected PIL, the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir has also filed a compliance report.“A copy of the same be also furnished to Ms. Gauri Maulekhi via email or WhatsApp ....,” the court said, adding,“Ms. Gauri Maulekhi, shall examine both the compliance reports filed by the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and may, if she so desires, file her response and/or additional suggestions, as may be deemed necessary.”

Meanwhile a copy of a newspaper report was placed before the court, highlighting that stray dogs have reportedly been roaming unchecked inside the Government College for Women, M.A. Road, Srinagar, causing fear and distress among students.

The menace posed by stray dogs, not only in Srinagar but across both Union Territories, warrants immediate and serious attention,” the court said, adding,“The issues raised in these PILs require urgent deliberation and appropriate remedial measures to mitigate the threat to public safety.”

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