Will come up with comprehensive plan to relocate Delhi stray dogs: CM Rekha Gupta

The CM was speaking after the Supreme Court directed that all stray dogs be relocated from streets to dedicated shelters in Delhi-NCR within eight weeks

New Delhi

Neither the court nor the government have been as activist about stray cattle, which have caused at least a few road accidents in recent months. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said that the government will come up with a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem of stray dogs in the city as “it has long troubled residents”.

The CM was speaking after the Supreme Court directed that all stray dogs be relocated from streets to dedicated shelters in Delhi-NCR within eight weeks, and said that no captured animal will be released back on the streets.

“The people of Delhi have been grappling with the stray dog problem for years. Everyone is aware of how previous governments dealt with the issue and the state of affairs in the municipal corporation. After our government assumed office, we initiated discussions and began working towards a lasting solution. The recent order of the Supreme Court holds great significance for us. Our foremost priority is to provide relief to the citizens of Delhi,” she said.

“This problem has now reached a critical stage, and we will address it through a comprehensive and well-structured plan to ensure the people of Delhi get the relief they deserve,” said CM Rekha Gupta, in a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat. While the data does not suggest a spike in rabies deaths (there have been none in the Capital in three years according to the ministry of animal husbandry), there have been clashes, in social media and on ground, between dog lovers and dog haters. The Supreme Court refused to listen to representations from the former while overturning the established way of dealing with stray dogs.

Interestingly, neither the court nor the government have been as activist about stray cattle, which have caused at least a few road accidents in recent months. Development minister Kapil Mishra admitted that the issue of stray cattle has become a “serious problem” in Delhi and NCR, and the Delhi government is working to find a comprehensive solution to ensure the welfare of the stray animals.

Mishra also suggested that the government’s arms were tied before the Supreme Court’s order, which wasn’t really the case; there was nothing that prevented either the UT administration, MCD, or NDMC from launching an aggressive sterilisation drive that would have reduced stray dog population (as is the case in some Delhi neighbourhoods where residents have sterilised the strays at their own cost); improving garbage management; or ensuring strict implementation of building by-laws.

“The problems that were coming into the way of the Delhi government have been addressed by the Supreme Court order. I have called a meeting of animal husbandry department officials. We will implement this order in a time-bound manner with all sensitivity and humanity,” Mishra added.