Surat, November 20. Following the historic decision delivered by the Supreme Court on November 7, the removal of stray animals from sensitive areas, including state and national highways across the country, has now become mandatory. The court has issued clear instructions to ensure safety, particularly in hospitals, schools, colleges, and crowded regions.
The court has explicitly stated that captured stray dogs will not be released back into their original locations. As per agency report, the Chief Secretaries of all states have been ordered to strictly enforce these directives and submit a report within three weeks. In light of these developments, a significant meeting was held on Wednesday under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner (Health and Hospital) of the Surat Municipal Corporation. The session was attended by officials from government and semi-government hospitals, railway and bus stations, district education officers, executive engineers, and deputy health officers.
During the meeting, it was decided that appropriate fencing or boundary walls would be constructed to secure the premises of all government and semi-government institutions, private schools, colleges, hospitals, as well as railway and bus stations in Surat city against stray dogs. The entry and exit points of these locations will be controlled and secured. To oversee the work and ensure proper implementation, nodal officers will be appointed in all institutions. Additionally, instructions were issued to organize IEC activities to raise public awareness.
It has been made mandatory to conduct inspections of every institution every three months to ensure that the number of stray dogs does not increase and that these premises do not become gathering spots for animals. The meeting also put forward a suggestion to prepare a comprehensive digital database of the entire campaign, which would facilitate continuous monitoring and effective action regarding the control of stray dogs in Surat. Following the Supreme Court order, the Surat Municipal Corporation has taken swift action and prepared a comprehensive action plan, prioritizing the safety of sensitive areas within the city.
