The Punjab and Haryana High Court in the case Arushi Lamba v. Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh and Anr. and has issued the notice on the Public Interest Litigation, PIL moved wherein seeking the directions to Chandigarh Municipal Corporation to take adequate and appropriate steps with regards to the effective and expeditious implementation of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, the ABC Rules in Chandigarh.
The Division bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice Ritu Bahri and Justice Nidhi Gupta in the case observed and has issued notice to the municipality.
The petitioner in the plea states that on filing the representation in the said regard before the Municipal Corporation, ‘neither satisfactory’ nor true picture of the adoption and implementation of the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023 was being provided.
In the present case, the Arushi Lamba who being the resident of of Chandigarh, has filed the petition highlighting that ABC Rules have been notified by the Central Government in March 2023, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The said Rule upersede the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001, and address the 2009 guidelines which is laid down by the Supreme Court in the case India v. People for Elimination of Stray Troubles.
Further, the court stated that it aims to provide guidelines for the sterilisation and immunisation of stray animals through Animal Birth Control ABC programmes and these programmes must be conducted by the Local Bodies, Municipalities, Municipal Corporation and Panchayats.
It has also been provided by the ABC Rules, 2023 that the Animal Birth Control and the Anti-Rabies Programmes should be carried out jointly by the mentioned Government bodies while focusing on guidelines to resolve dog bites without relocation of the animals.
The petitioner in the plea stated that the rule 20 ABC Rule has also been referred to state that, it accredits the responsibility of making necessary arrangements for feedings of community animals, especially making of the provisions for feeding spots and shelter homes for stay animals residing in that area.
Adding to it, the plea stated that on filing the RTI seeking information with regards to the status of the implementation of the Rule.
Further, the court stated that the response submitted by Municipal Corporation was neither satisfactory nor depicted a true picture of the adoption and implementation of the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023 in U.T. Chandigarh.
Accordingly, the court listed the matter for further consideration on January 25, 2024. The counsel, Advocate Arushi Lamb appeared for petitioner.