The Calcutta High Court asked the West Bengal government and civic bodies to reply within four weeks to a PIL demanding mass sterilisation, vaccination, and shelters for stray dogs. The plea highlighted a steep rise in dog-bite cases from 23,000 in 2022 to over 76,000 in 2024.
Kolkata: On August 21, the Calcutta High Court asked the West Bengal government to give its reply to a petition that demanded proper sterilisation of stray dogs in the State.
A Division Bench made up of Justices Sujoy Paul and Smita Das De also directed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) in North 24 Parganas to submit detailed reports.
The Court clearly said,
“The reports should be filed in four weeks.”
The case came before the Court through a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Akash Sharma. He requested the Court to immediately step in to control the rising stray dog menace in West Bengal.
In his petition, Sharma pointed out that the number of dog-bite incidents in the State has gone up alarmingly. He highlighted that while there were nearly 23,000 dog-bite cases in 2022, the figure shot up to over 76,000 in 2024, showing how serious the problem has become.
Sharma further alleged that civic bodies in West Bengal had not properly followed the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.
These rules make it compulsory for authorities to carry out organised sterilisation and vaccination drives for stray dogs so that the population is controlled and diseases are prevented.
The PIL has asked the Court to direct the State government to immediately begin large-scale sterilisation and vaccination programmes for stray dogs.
It also requested the Court to order the setting up of designated feeding zones and the creation of government-run shelters where stray dogs can be cared for in a safe and regulated manner.
This matter will now depend on the reports filed by the civic authorities and the response of the West Bengal government, which have been sought within the next four weeks.
Case Title:
Akash Sharma v State of West Bengal & Ors
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