Telangana HC wants stray dog menace monitored

Hyderabad: A two-judge panel of the Telangana High Court directed the state and GHMC authorities to constitute a State Monitory and Implementation Committee by the next hearing to address and mitigate attacks by stray dogs, especially leading to deaths of children aged four and five.

The panel comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti was dealing with a suo motu PIL initiated after the death of Master Pradeep, a four-year-old boy, who was killed by a stray dog on February 19, 2023, at Amberpet. The PIL is for directions to authorities concerned to take necessary action to prevent and protect the lives of general public from the threat of stray dogs.

Earlier, the bench directed authorities to take immediate and necessary action. During the hearing, the counsel for GHMC authorities submitted the statistic report on the number of dogs being sterilised. The Chief Justice, speaking for the bench, expressed disappointment with the ineffective action of the authorities. He stated that the reports and rules framed were just existing on paper while in fact, children were dying. The Chief Justice further commented, “If society is unable to protect a four-five-year-old child, then what are we worth for? Are we waiting for somebody else to die? There has to be an effective mechanism in dealing with it. If you have the willpower, you will be interested in finding the solution.” After commenting the same, the panel directed the constitution of the committee and posted the matter for further hearing.