Srinagar, Apr 1: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has issued notice to Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) over dog menace.
Taking suo moto cognisance of certain facts brought to the notice of the Chief Justice over spiraling dog bite cases in Ladakh, the High Court has initiated the PIL.
The details brought to the notice of the Chief Justice highlighted that the registered dog bite cases in Ladakh have exponentially increased from 854 in 2017 to 2229 in 2022 and dogs bit about 220 people in January 2023.
The court was informed that this had created fear psychosis not only amongst the local populace but also the tourists.
It was further reported that street dogs were attacking wild herbivores, which is also of grave concern for the local people and cattle owners.
Hearing the PIL, a division bench of Chief Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice Sanjay Dhar issued notice to UT of Ladakh through its Commissioner Secretary, Department of Animal Husband, Ladakh through its Secretary, Deputy Commissioner Kargil, Municipal Committee Leh through its Chairman, Municipal Committee, Kargil through its Chairman, Director, Health Services Kargil, and Ladakh Legal Services Authority through its Member Secretary.
While DSGI Tahir Majid Shamsi accepted notice on behalf of six respondents (authorities), the court issued notice to Ladakh Legal Services Authority through its Member Secretary returnable within two weeks.
