Students for Streeties urge Karnataka to scale up ABC, ARV programmes
Bengaluru (PTI): Students for Streeties, a student-led organisation, on Saturday urged the Karnataka government to scale up scientific dog population management through ABC and ARV programmes across the state, instead of investing heavily in dog shelters.
The appeal was made at a press conference here attended by representatives of animal welfare organisations and student groups, including All Paws Community, Charlie’s Animal Rescue Centre (CARE) and Citizens for Animal Birth Control (ABC).
Actor Pooja Gandhi, through a video message, felicitated the Students for Streeties campaign and appealed to the Government of Karnataka to strictly implement the ABC programme.
Speakers said Bengaluru has remained free of human rabies due to strong systems such as a rabies helpline, ring vaccination and sustained ABC efforts. They stressed that community caregiving, coupled with robust ABC and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programmes, is the most effective and humane way to address dog bites and rabies.
The panel referred to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s recent post on X reiterating the need to follow the ABC Rules, 2023, and avoid impounding dogs.
They appealed to the state government to file an affidavit in the court, committing to statewide ABC implementation and developing a model on the lines of Bengaluru’s programme.
They also said they would seek meetings with the chief minister and chief secretary, urging the government not to spend crores on shelters and instead tackle the issue at nearly one-tenth of the cost through proven ABC and ARV measures.
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Bombay HC to form high-powered committee on Mumbai air pollution
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it would form a high-powered committee to oversee the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in the Mumbai region, noting that the efforts taken so far by state and civic authorities are insufficient.
It was not criticizing anyone but wanted to ensure that "people should live in pure air," said a division bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.
The HC had in October 2023 taken suo motu cognizance of the rising pollution in the metropolis "which was ranging between good, satisfactory, moderate poor, very poor and severe", the bench noted.
Directions were issued by the court on November 6, 2023, and suggestions were made for short-term, mid-term and long-term measures.
Since then, the HC has made observations expressing dissatisfaction about the steps taken by the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai civic bodies, the judges said.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is simply "sailing on its affidavits," but the steps purportedly taken by it were not sufficient, the court stated.
Air pollution in Mumbai has not decreased, in fact it was reported to be very severe in December, said the judges.
"We have apprised ourselves of the previous orders, and find that compliances so far made by (municipal) corporations and MPCB are not sufficient and satisfactory," the court said.
The authorities might have taken serious steps but their results were not visible, it added.
The court expressed inability to examine all the affidavits filed by the municipal corporations and MPCB and reports submitted by an expert committee (formed in 2023), citing the "rising number of dockets and limited hours and time."
After hearing all the parties at length, the high court decided to form a high-powered committee led by a former Supreme Court judge to monitor the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in Mumbai and the surrounding areas.
The committee should meet on a daily basis, the court said, adding that its members should be provided necessary facilities.
The bench also referred to a suggestion that the citizens affected by pollution should be compensated.
The lawyer for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation said there are existing statutory bodies to look into this aspect.
"Maybe there are statutory bodies formed in Maharashtra, but then we have not come across any suggestion or action taken by such a body in the present proceedings..." the court said, adding that it was inclined to give "some powers" to the committee.
The court is expected to finalize the names of the committee members in its written order.
