Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 27: High Court was today informed that dog menace in Srinagar city is uncontrolled and around 100 dog bite cases are being brought to SMHS hospital which lacks medicines and rabies vaccines.
Court sought report from various departments on dog menace and the treatment provided to the victims who have been mauled by the dogs as the horrifying pictures of victims were brought to the notice of Division Bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Mohammad. They directed the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to file the latest status report on next date on steps taken for controlling the menace.
Court also added SKIMS and SKUAST as party respondents to the PIL and directed them besides SMC to report the Court to the suggestions and recommendations made by the Amicus Curie Nadeem Qadri for controlling dog menace and rabies in the State, by next date.
Amicus Curie Advocate Qadri along with Dr Shamila during the proceedings of the case demonstrated video presentation before the Court about various horrifying pictures of victims mostly children who have become the victims of dog bites.
Advocate Qadri submitted that every day approximately 100 cases of dog bites are brought to hospital which itself is an answer as how the menace is uncontrolled. He further added that there is no proper medicines and vaccination of dog bite available in hospital which can prevent a victim from infected by rabies. Court directed the Government to ensure that such kind of medicines and vaccination be made available at all dispensaries also.
Advocate Qadri in his suggestions recommend for regular proper availability and accessibility to Anti-rabies treatment drugs/injections on subsidized rates or offer free to patients who can’t even afford to treat rabies due to costly treatment.
About the enormous increase in dog population he submitted that sterilization process can’t contain dog population and for the purpose “culling” of stray dogs as provided by the law, should be thought of with proper management to keep check on the same at regular basis.
“There is need for proper Solid waste management, dumping and cleaning of garbage as common characteristic of Kashmir which encourages stray dog populations is, open disposal garbage. Stray dogs are scavengers, so they rely on garbage on the street as a source of food. In places where garbage is kept in bins and cleaned regularly, stray dogs cannot survive on the streets”, reads one of the recommendations.
DB directed all the authorities including SMC, Health Department, SKIMS and SKUAST to submit their response to the suggestion of the Amicus Curie by next date.
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