NT Reporter
Panaji
Acting on directions issued by the Supreme Court, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Friday initiated suo motu proceedings on the issue of stray dogs in the state.
A division bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Hiten S Venegavkar registered a suo motu writ petition to monitor compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions.
The High Court impleaded 26 respondents, including the state of Goa through the chief secretary, the directors of municipal administration and panchayats, the district collectors, and the superintendents of police of North and South Goa.
The petition arises from the Supreme Court’s May 19 order concerning the issue of stray dogs in public places. Notices have also been issued to the commissioner of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Goa State Animal Welfare Board, and the chief officers of all municipal councils, including Margao, Mapusa, Mormugao, Valpoi, Sankhali and Canacona.
During the hearing, the court noted that counsel for the state and central governments had waived service of notice for the primary respondents.
The High Court appointed advocate Terence Sequeira as amicus curiae to assist the court. The registrar (judicial) has been directed to serve notices on the remaining respondents through email and other modes.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 5.
The Supreme Court has directed all High Courts to register suo motu writ petitions to monitor compliance with its directions to remove stray dogs from the premises of educational institutions, hospitals, bus stands, railway stations and other public places.
