In a move aimed at strengthening supervision over stray dog population control while responding to growing public concern over animal welfare, the Gujarat government has formed a high-level committee to monitor and guide the implementation of sterilisation programmes across the state, according to official notifications and media reports.
According to media reports, sources said the 17-member Animal Birth Control (ABC) implementation and monitoring committee has been mandated to ensure proper execution of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and to design district-specific action plans for managing the stray dog population.
The panel will also supervise the constitution of monitoring committees at municipal and panchayat levels, a requirement under the revised rules.
The notification issued by the urban development department in mid-December underlines the need for a structured approach that addresses both public safety and animal welfare. While population control through sterilisation has been identified as a key strategy to curb dog-related incidents, the government has acknowledged complaints regarding alleged cruelty and procedural lapses during earlier ABC drives, media reports said. These concerns, the notification notes, must be addressed through continuous oversight and corrective measures.
The state-level committee will be headed by the secretary of the urban development and urban housing department and includes senior officials from public health, municipal administration and the panchayat system.
Representatives from the Animal Welfare Board of India and the Gujarat State Animal Welfare Board, senior municipal officials from Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, the Gujarat Veterinary Council, and members from district and taluka panchayats are also part of the panel, media reports said.
Among its core tasks is the preparation of district-wise dog population management plans and the identification of qualified agencies authorised by the Animal Welfare Board of India to conduct sterilisation and vaccination programmes.
The committee has also been directed to ensure that local bodies have adequate shelters, veterinary infrastructure and medical facilities in place before any ABC operations are rolled out.
As per the notification, the panel will have the authority to inspect programmes and initiate action if complaints are received regarding cruelty to animals or violations of the ABC Rules. A member of the Animal Welfare Board of India, Mital Khetani, was quoted in media reports as saying that the new mechanism was essential to plug gaps and inconsistencies observed in earlier implementation efforts.
The renewed focus on oversight comes against the backdrop of a spike in dog bite incidents in parts of the state. In Amreli town, at least 40 people were reportedly bitten by stray dogs across nine localities within a 24-hour period, hospital sources told reporters. Those injured included children and women, adding to residents’ anxiety.
Local residents have urged civic authorities to act decisively. “Aggressive dogs should be caught and not released again,” said Adam Solanki, whose father was among those bitten, according to media reports. Amreli municipality chief officer Vinod Rathod told media persons that complaints had poured in from multiple areas and that special teams had been deployed to patrol affected localities and curb further incidents.
With public safety and animal welfare both under scrutiny, the effectiveness of the newly constituted committee is expected to be closely watched in the coming months.
Also Read: AMC Issues Strict Compliance Orders Following SC Directive On Stray Dog Control https://www.vibesofindia.com/amc-issues-strict-compliance-orders-following-sc-directive-on-stray-dog-control/
