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Supreme Court orders strict hygiene rules at court premises to address stray dog risks
The renewed instructions came a day after an SC bench ordered civic bodies in Delhi NCR to round up all stray dogs within eight weeks and house them in dedicated shelters.
The Supreme Court administration on Tuesday directed all food waste within its premises to be discarded only in covered bins, citing rising instances of stray dogs entering court corridors and even lifts. In a circular, the court administration noted an uptick in stray dog presence inside the Supreme Court complex and stressed that uncovered food waste was attracting the canines.
“All leftover food items must be disposed of exclusively in properly covered dustbins. Under no circumstances should food be discarded in open areas or uncovered containers… This measure is crucial to prevent animals from scavenging for food, thereby significantly reducing the risk of bites and maintaining hygiene standards,” the directive stated.
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, the court said.
Hearing a suo motu petition on the “alarming and disturbing” rise in stray dog attacks, the bench also directed Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram authorities to set up a helpline to register dog-bite complaints and ensure the animal responsible is picked up within four hours of the incident.
The SC also ordered contempt proceedings against anyone obstructing the capture drive while bemoaning the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules that require sterilised dogs to be released in the same locality, calling the rule “unreasonable and absurd”.
“Whether sterilised or not, the society must feel free and safe. You should not have any stray dog roaming around,” the bench said.
Authorities have been told to create shelters for 5,000 dogs within eight weeks and, if necessary, set up a special force to carry out the removal operation.
