Telangana High Court pulls up State Govt on stray dog attacks in Hyderabad

The court directed the State government to immediately formulate a comprehensive action plan to tackle the growing issue of stray dogs in Hyderabad within a week.

By Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday expressed serious dissatisfaction with the State’s inaction in addressing the problem to tackle the growing issue of stray dogs in Hyderabad.

---

The court directed the State government to immediately formulate a comprehensive action plan to tackle the growing issue of stray dogs in Hyderabad within a week. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti was dealing with a suomoto PIL taken based on reports of stray dogs attacking children and causing widespread panic among residents. Initially the PIL was taken up on a report on a pack of dogs mauling a four-year-old boy to death in the city. Another tragic event took place on July 16, wherein an 18-month-old toddler was attacked by a group of stray dogs in Adarsh Nagar, Jawaharnagar. The boy suffered severe injuries in his scalp and succumbed to his injuries despite immediate medical treatment. The court on Thursday took up a suomoto case and reprimanded the government for its negligence in addressing the problem.

The State government informed the court that approximately 3,80,000 stray dogs were present within the GHMC limits. The government also stated that relocating these dogs to shelters was a bit challenging task. The court pointed out that improper waste disposal on roadsides significantly contributed to the stray dog problem. It emphasized the need for authorities to ensure proper waste management and maintain clean surroundings to mitigate the issue. The court has directed the government to explore effective solutions to protect children. Accordingly, it directed the State to prepare a detailed plan of action by the next hearing and adjourned the matter for a week.