Srinagar, July 9: High Court Monday directed government constituted expert committee on dog problem to seek suggestions from public on how to get rid of the menace even as the Bar association pleaded that the deadly dogs be killed under provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act.
 The Division bench comprising Chief Justice MM Kumar and Justice Hasnain Masoodi observed that suggestions other than the ongoing dog sterilization under the Animal Birth Control (ABC-AR) were required to get rid of the menace, which has assumed alarming proportions in the summer Capital, whereas official records suggest that on an average, a dozen odd people fall prey to bites almost everyday.
 The Division Bench directions came following argument from the High Court Bar Association(HCBA), President, Advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom who pleaded that the ongoing dog sterilization wasn’t enough adding the deadly stray packs could be killed under provisions of Section 304 of the Municipal Corporation Act of 2000.
 Qayoom pleaded his stand soon after Advocate Bashir Ahmed Khan on behalf of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) filed its status report about ongoing sterilization at Shuhama dog pound on the City outskirts.
 Giving another argument, Qayoom pleaded before the Court that: “If dogs can be killed in Nagaland for human consumption why they cannot killed be for human safety (in Srinagar).”
 He also raised objections over creation of expert committee saying it would not look for measures beyond the ongoing sterilization as some of the members are close to the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) people who “look towards sterilization as sole remedy to the dog menace.”
 The Division Bench asked the HCBA President, who some months back filed the PIL on public demand, to give his suggestions to the expert committee which has been directed to issue notifications in local dailies in this regard.
 Presently, the government is continuing its dog sterilization program at the Shuhama dog pound, where till now around 250 dogs have been sterilized.
 While the government looks at sterilization as sole solution to dog menace, a million dollar question posed last year by the then Chief Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifullah remains unanswered: Will a dog stop biting after sterilization?

Lastupdate on : Mon, 9 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 9 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST