MCD approves penalties for NGOs over rabies cases

The new rules come in the backdrop of Supreme Court’s pressure on the so-called stray dog problem in the city.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Tuesday approved a policy that introduces steep penalties on NGOs running Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres if rabies cases or failed sterilisations leading to new stray dog births are reported within their allotted areas – a move that experts said may lead to mismanagement in the absence of a clear tracking mechanism.

MCD aims to sterilise around 135,000 dogs between April 2025 and February 2026. (HT File photo)

HT graphics.

The policy preamble, cleared alongside an expenditure sanction of ₹13.5 crore for payments to NGOs, states: “In case of rabies-related casualty in allotted area, 10% of the annual amount payable to the ABC Centre will be deducted with each such casualty; and 2% of annual payment will be deducted in case of new birth in sterilised dogs for each birth.”

MCD aims to sterilise around 135,000 dogs between April 2025 and February 2026, for which the ₹13.5-crore outlay has been approved.

This amount includes long-pending dues of ₹4.25 crore to 19 NGOs for sterilisation work conducted between March and June this year. The corporation currently pays between ₹900 and ₹1,000 per dog for sterilisation and immunisation.

According to officials, the proposal was cleared after the municipal commissioner submitted a review conducted by the Local Animal Birth Control Monitoring Committee, which concluded that the “accountability of NGOs engaged in sterilisation and immunisation of dogs needs to be increased.”

The new penalty framework will apply on two fronts: stray dog births in an NGO’s allocated area and any rabies-related deaths linked to that zone.

The new rules come in the backdrop of Supreme Court’s pressure on the so-called stray dog problem in the city. In August 2025, the top court directed municipal authorities to capture all stray dogs in the city and confine them to shelters. However, in another order around 10 days later, the apex court modified its stance and permitted the release of sterilised and vaccinated dogs back to their original territories. Then on November 7, the court noted that repeated incidents of dog bites at key public spaces are not merely a public-health challenge but a matter of human safety under Article 21 of the Constitution.

An official from an ABC centre in southwest Delhi, requesting anonymity, said that the would make their work even more difficult. “An infected dog can move from one area to another. There is no mechanism to track such a dog and the compliance burden should not be on the NGO. How can we ensure 100% dogs are immunised even in neighbouring areas?” A second official said that the city needs a mechanism to track sterilized dogs. “The provision and funds for microchipping have to be made first. We should be working in collaboration, rather than imposing penalties.”

A senior MCD official explained that areas and wards had earlier been allocated to the 20 NGOs to achieve 80% sterilization rates in their respective areas. “In the present system, there is no accountability of agencies. Despite the sterilisation programmes, the dog population is seen rising in their allotted areas. Consequently, the purpose and outcome of the ABC programme is missing even when good annual expenditure is being made by MCD which is approximately ₹13 crore,” the policy preamble states.

Ambika Shukla, trustee of People for Animals, said that the approach being taken by MCD is fundamentally flawed. “There is no clear thinking or effort to improve ABCs. Just more irresponsibility. How are new births going to be tracked? Rather than issuing fines for rabies cases — which aren’t under the control of an NGO — MCD should be concentrate on addressing the deplorable conditions in which the ABC programme is being run: the state of the kennels, the methods used to catch dogs, accurate records, sanitation of operation theatres, maintenance of cold chain and proof of vaccination, standard of food and cleanliness. If the focus shifts to improving these basics, the results will become evident.”

Asher Jesudoss, animal welfare advocate and former member of Delhi Animal Welfare Board, said, “This proposal imposes penalties on ABC centres without addressing the basic gaps that the administration must fix first. Before redesigning payments or assigning blame, the authorities need to conduct a proper field survey, consult veterinarians and welfare experts, and upgrade their own ABC infrastructure. Any new model should begin with a small pilot designed with experts and all stakeholders including communities that care for animals, so that loopholes can be identified and corrected before scaling it across the city. Without a scientific and consultative approach this plan will harm street dogs, weaken public health safeguards, and discourage responsible agencies from participating, thereby not solving the fundamental problem of managing dog population and curbing incidents of conflict.”

Officials said the MCD is also preparing to expand the pool of participating agencies to meet the intensified sterilisation targets set after the Supreme Court’s directive. New NGOs will be invited to bid not only for sterilisation and immunisation work but for building and operating additional ABC infrastructure beyond the existing 20 units. The civic body will evaluate bids on efficiency, cost and the ability to scale operations in a time-bound manner