NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to coordinate with the Lucknow Municipal Corporation to arrange training for veterinarians and dog catchers involved in the sterilisation of stray dogs.
“We want to create ripples. We want to sensitise the public of Delhi,” a bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Aditi Choudhary said.
The bench passed the order after amicus curiae Gauri Maulekhi informed the court that, following her efforts, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation had agreed to come to Delhi to conduct training for veterinarians and dog catchers.
The submissions were made in response to the court’s query to the MCD: “One ward is not over in two months? When will you do 250 wards? With this speed, it has to be scaled up.”
Counsel for the MCD replied that the civic body had included feeders and that camps had been organised in Anand Vihar, with satisfactory results.
“By the next date, we can finish the Anand Vihar ward and declare it rabies-free,” the counsel said, seeking four weeks’ time to make further submissions.
The court then asked the municipal bodies to identify four wards that were likely to be declared rabies-free first. “Come with suggestions on how to increase or speed up the process,” it said.
“We just want to create ripples. We just want to sensitise the public of Delhi. Once this process starts and the residents of Delhi come to know, it might take momentum. People will themselves get the dogs to the centre. Once people know that they [the dogs] are not being caught and are not being harmed, they will themselves help you,” the bench said.
The court further noted that the amicus had placed on record a roadmap for the implementation of the pilot sterilisation camp.
“MCD asks for four weeks to give its comments/suggestions on the report. On the basis of the suggestions given by the amicus, we direct the MCD to prepare a roadmap and place it on record for the approval of the court. Circulate it so that people know the roadmap,” the bench said.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on November 3, saying, “Needless to observe that the process which has been followed in the pilot project shall be followed.”
