Lok Adalat Has Fined Mohali Officials Over Lax Dog Sterilization Effort

The Permanent Lok Adalat has led the Mohali Municipal Commissioner and three other officers to pay a litigation cost and compensation of Rs 25,000 each to a resident living in Sector 70 in a seven-year-old case regarding dog sterilization in the area.

On March 16, the court ordered the civic body officials to strictly execute the animal birth control program and move destructive dogs to pounds. It also directed the vaccination of all stray dogs to prevent rabies.

“If the corporation officials are not able to control stray dogs, then the corporation officials will be personally responsible for providing free treatment and compensation for mental agony caused to people by dogs,” the order says.

Superintendent Engineer (Civil) Dr. Meet Pal Singh, Medical Officer of Health, MC Commissioner Naresh Kumar Batta, and chief sanitary inspector Harwant Singh were responding to this case.

A petition has been filed by Kanwalnain Singh Sodhi in the Lok Adalat regarding stray dog sterilization in 2016. The MC should have a month-wise record of dog-bite incidents, and the number of stray and feral dogs on the website for the public and issue a toll-free number and a complaint email ID, as per the order.

During the hearing, it came to the fore that private doctors’ services were taken for the sterilization of dogs by the civic body, while the work could also be accomplished by government doctors.

The court ordered the officials to keep a comprehensive record of the expenses and funds on the website.

MC Commissioner Navjot Kaur stated: “The civic body will contest the order.”