The Street Dog Issue in India: A Conflict Between Scientific Management and Populist Solutions
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity and Governance (Fundamental Duties - Article 51A(g)); Environment (Ecology, Zoonotic Diseases); General Issues on Health (Rabies); Government Programmes and Rules.
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2: Important aspects of governance; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health; Role of civil society.
General Studies Paper 3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.
General Studies Paper 4 (Ethics): Ethical issues, Compassion towards living beings.
Key Highlights from the News
The article argues that the Supreme Court's initial order to move all stray dogs in Delhi to shelters was scientifically and legally flawed, and could lead to a major public health disaster (this order was later stayed by the court itself).
Mass incarceration of dogs in shelters can lead to the spread of diseases among them (zoonotic diseases) and cause ecological imbalance (ecological vacuum phenomenon).
The scientifically and humanely correct solution is the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme (sterilization program) and vaccination against rabies. The World Health Organization (WHO) and India's own National Action Plan for Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE) also recommend this.
The problem of stray dogs is actually an administrative failure (dereliction of duty) of local self-government institutions like the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in not effectively implementing the ABC program.
Such cruel measures are unconstitutional under Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty) of the Constitution, which states that compassion should be shown towards all living creatures.
The author alleges that the stray dog problem is a political diversion, used to distract attention from other real administrative failures in Delhi.
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