High Court takes to task the BMP on spending to control dog menace

Bangalore, Mar 9 (UNI) The Karnataka High Court today took to task the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike on its claim of spending crores of rupees through the NGOs to control dog menace in the City.

Chief Justice Mr Cyriac Joseph, taking serious note on the claim, questioned as where does the money go as the effect of spending was not seen.

The Court consisting of Division Bench of the Chief Justice with Mr Justice B S Patil, directed the BMP Counsel to file an affidavit within 10 days explaining the action and the steps taken by them to comply with Rule 7 of the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules,2001 and the details of the agencies, organisations involved in the program and the money spent during the last 5 years in this regard.

The court was hearing the interlocutory applications filed by the petitioner Mr B Krishna Bhat for further amendment of the petition including additional facts, grounds and interim prayer. The interlocutory application of an NGO by name Compassion Unlimited Plus Action(CUPA). The Bench allowed both the applications.

The Chief Justice observed that "we cannot have dogs on the road unattended and if the NGOs are against killing the dogs they must take care of them." The senior counsel Mr K G Raghavan appearing for the CUPA stated that the dog population in the Bangalore City had come under considerable control and there was a depletion. The Counsel was ready to place statistics to show the same and that the problem was in the periphery of Bangalore which did not come within the jurisdiction of the City Corporation since the ABC program was not being carried out, outside Corporation limits.

In the lighter vein, the Chief Justice said that the dog lovers would have to take up an argument that the dogs were necessary on the public roads to maintain the ecology of Bangalore City.

UNI