CUTTACK: A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed at the Orissa High Court Bench seeking to control the stray dog menace in the pilgrimage town of Puri on Saturday.
Citing a recent incident in which a five-year-old boy died on the spot after being mauled by stray dogs at Jagannath Colony under Kumbarpada police limits in Puri, the PIL filed by advocate Rajkishore Swain on behalf of Bibhuti Charan Mohanty of Nuagada has stated that similar incidents are occurring regularly causing loss of human lives. Number of death cases due to road accidents caused by stray dogs and rabbis infection is increasing in towns and cities across the State.
The petitioner alleged that the civic authorities are not maintaining the cleanliness while garbage, wastes and often carcasses of animals are being dumped on public roads and places which aggravate the stray dog menace. Even civic bodies have failed to carry out sterilisation and vaccination of dogs regularly, it stated.
The PIL, which has sought direction from the court to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Department, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central), Cuttack, Executive Officer of Puri Municipality, the Collector and SP of Puri to control the menace, demanded `10 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased child.