HC directs H&UDD to provide assistance to SMC in controlling stray dog menace

The High Court on Monday directed Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UDD) to provide required finance assistance to Srinagar Municipal Corporation for controlling the menace of stray dogs in the summer capital.
A division bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey issued the direction after it was informed that there was only one centre at Shuhama, for controlling the birth of the stray dogs at present.
“In so far as birth control is concerned, at this centre, approximatelyb10 sterilization can be done per day. However, this is no sufficient and as such another centre is to be set up at Tengpora,” SMC said, while hearing a related Public Interest Litigation.
The civic body, however, said the Tengpora centre would take about 9 to 10 months for completion. “Once the Tengpora centre is established that centre would be able perform 80 sterilizations per day, thus bringing the total sterilizations to 90 per day.”
Based on estimation of 300 working days, the court observed that approximately 27000 sterilizations would be carried out. “This would mean that around 70% of the stray dog population would be sterilized and that would stabilize the population of the dogs. This would be done on a continuous basis and of course the target is also that 100% stray dogs would be inoculated,” the court observed.
The SMC further told the court that curtailing of energy rich garbage available to stray dogs and setting anti-birth control and anti-rabies control is the other aspect to control the dogs.
“Srinagar produces about 400 metric garbage per day on an average and out of it; about 20000 kg is contributed by poultry energy rich waste,” SMC said. Observing how the garbage is useful for stray dogs, the court said: “Therefore action has been suggested for energy rich garbage and various methods have been initiated which have been undertaken and would continue to be undertaken”.
“In order that SMC is able to achieve all these objectives, they will need full financial assistance and logistic support from H&UDD. A request has already been made by the SMC on 29 March 2016 and 16 May 2016,” the court said.
Additional Advocate General assured the court that all necessary action would be done on the request made so that plan of action which has formulated by the SMC for controlling stray dog menace in the city is achieved.
“Both SMC and U&UDD will file status report,” the court said.
About the affidavit filed by Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical education, the court said: “The affidavit was required for the purposes of indicating the availabilities of anti-rabies vaccines and human Rabies immunoglobulin injection throughout the state.
However, the court observed, the affidavit has only given the information about the Kashmir Valley and details about Leh and Kargil have also not been provided.
“The anti-rabies vaccines is available free of cost at SMC. However, with regarding to human Rabies immunoglobulin, it is stated that it has not be incorporated in the list of drugs needed by the hospital,” the court said, adding, that no explanation has been given as to why this was so.
“The affidavit also provides consolidated report of anti-rabies vacancies and human Rabies immunoglobulin injections except Leh and Kargil. On going through the consolidated report, we find that certain hospitals don’t have vaccine/injection whereas some others have huge surplus.”
For example, the court said, Sub Divisional Hospital Bijbehera has no anti-rabies vacancies as on 27-2-2018. Similarly block Larnoo there are no anti-rabies and same is case with district hospital Qazigund and other hospitals and dispensaries. “From the above it is evident that the management of anti-rabies vaccines is not done properly.
The court said directors of Health Services Kashmir and Jammu divisions should ensure that inventory management of anti-rabies vaccines and human Rabies immunoglobulin so that they are in the know of vaccines running low at any point of time.
“This is not a complicated exercise. All the hospital should provide weekly updates of their inventories so that the Directors are informed about requirements so that supplies can be sent immediately,” the court said and also directed J&K Supplies Corporation, on requisition being made, shall immediately supply the anti-rabies vaccines.
The court termed as “shocking” the non-availability of anti-rabies vaccines and none of them have human rabies immunoglobulin (HRIG) injection in most of the institutions in Jammu.
The court made the observation after perusing an affidavit filed by Commissioner Secretary health and medical education department.
“The affidavit which gives the position for Jammu province is quite shocking because most of the institutions don’t have stock of anti-rabies vaccines and none of them have human Rabies immunoglobulin injection,” the court said and called for needs to rectify the same immediately. “Director Health Service Jammu shall immediately take action and file action taken report,” it said.