SC seeks to curb open dumping on premises to curb stray dogs’ presence

The circular noted that uncovered food scraps were attracting the animals, undermining hygiene and safety.

The Supreme Court administration on Tuesday instructed that all food waste within its premises be discarded only in covered bins, aiming to curb the growing presence of stray dogs inside court corridors and even lifts. The circular noted that uncovered food scraps were attracting the animals, undermining hygiene and safety.

The court had issued a similar circular in September 2024 after consultations with civic authorities. (HT Photo)

“All leftover food items must be disposed of exclusively in properly covered dustbins… This measure is crucial to prevent animals from scavenging for food, thereby reducing the risk of bites and maintaining hygiene standards,” it said.

To be sure, the court had issued a similar circular in September 2024 after consultations with civic authorities.

The renewed instructions came a day after a bench of justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ordered civic bodies in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to round up all stray dogs within eight weeks and house them in dedicated shelters. No captured animal is to be released back on the streets.

Hearing a suo motu case on the “alarming and disturbing” rise in stray dog attacks, the court also directed authorities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram to set up a helpline for dog-bite complaints, with offending animals to be picked up within four hours.

It ordered contempt proceedings against anyone obstructing the capture drive and criticised the Animal Birth Control Rules requiring sterilised dogs to be released in the same locality, calling the rule “unreasonable and absurd.”

“Whether sterilised or not, society must feel free and safe. You should not have any stray dog roaming around,” the bench said.

Authorities have been told to create shelter space for at least 5,000 dogs in the next eight weeks and, if necessary, deploy a special force to execute the removal operation.