

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has registered suo motu proceedings to continuously monitor the implementation of the Supreme Court’s directives on stray dog management and the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme in the state.
At the hearing, the court directed the high-level monitoring committee to ensure monthly reports are filed before the court in compliance with the directives regarding the sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs, implementation of Animal Birth Control(ABC) programmes, creation of shelters, and steps for dealing with rabid and aggressive dogs.
The SC had directed states and union territories to take decisive, coordinated and time-bound steps to enhance infrastructure and augment the necessary facilities for the effective implementation of the ABC framework.
On Wednesday, the HC division bench comprising Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Preetha A K said the government had directed local self-government institutions to compulsorily comply with the directives. Any laxity will be viewed with extreme seriousness and that responsible officers would be held accountable in cases of non-compliance brought to the government’s notice, the court warned.