Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 19:Acting on the recent directions of the Supreme Court of India in the suo motu case “City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price vs State of Andhra Pradesh,” the Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the constitution of Union Territory-level and District-level committees to ensure strict implementation of the court-mandated measures related to stray dog management, public safety and Animal Birth Control (ABC) norms.
The UT-Level Committee will be chaired by the Administrative Secretary of the Agriculture Production Department, while the Administrative Secretary of the Housing & Urban Development Department will serve as Member Secretary. Senior administrative secretaries of key departments-including Home, Health, School Education, Public Works (R&B), Rural Development, Transport, Higher Education, Sports, Law & Justice-along with Divisional Commissioners Jammu/Kashmir, Commissioners of Jammu/Srinagar Municipal Corporations, IGPs, Transport Commissioner, Directors of Animal Husbandry and Urban Local Bodies, and representatives of NHAI and the Animal Welfare Board of India are part of the 22-member panel.
The Housing & Urban Development Department has been designated as the nodal department for implementing all decisions and coordinating compliance reports to be submitted before the court. The committee is mandated to meet frequently and monitor progress across districts.
The UT Panel will oversee implementation of the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2023, Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals Act, and all related statutes. It will also ensure coordinated enforcement across departments and civic bodies.
A major focus area is the identification and securing of premises of all educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands, depots, and railway stations by ensuring fencing, boundary walls and other physical barriers to prevent the ingress of stray dogs.
Departments and institutions will be required to appoint Nodal Officers for campus cleanliness and dog-entry prevention, with their details displayed at entry points. Regular inspections by municipal bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions every three months have been made mandatory, with accountability fixed in case of lapses.
The committee will further ensure availability of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin in all hospitals, constant vigilance through deployment of ground staff, regular awareness programmes and strict implementation of sterilisation, vaccination and sheltering protocols.
Besides the UT Level Committee, District-level committees have been notified separately for Jammu and Srinagar districts, and another format for all remaining districts. Deputy Commissioners will head these committees, which include SSPs, Chief Medical Officers, Chief Animal Husbandry Officers, Chief Education Officers, District Panchayat Officers, PW(R&B) officers, Municipal Commissioners and Executive Officers.
The panels have been directed to meet initially twice a week, and thereafter weekly, to review implementation and compile compliance reports for submission to the UT-level committee.
The district committees are tasked with enforcing fencing and security mechanisms at institutional premises, creation of feeding spots, and development of adequate shelters for stray animals. They must ensure removal of stray dogs from hospital, school and transport hubs, with sterilisation and vaccination carried out strictly under the ABC Rules. The SC’s direction prohibiting re-release of sterilised dogs into institutional premises must be followed meticulously.
Further, the panels must coordinate with Police, PWD and NHAI for clearing stray cattle and dogs from national and state highways and ensuring proper sheltering and upkeep.
Hospitals must mandatorily maintain stocks of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin, while schools have been asked to conduct awareness sessions on preventive behaviour around animals and first aid for dog bites.
Municipal bodies must submit monthly progress reports on sterilisation, vaccination, sheltering and inspections. Districts must submit fortnightly reports for compilation at the UT level.
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