Ex-minister interacts with residents over stray dog menace in Ghaziabad

Former Union Minister Vijay Goel on Sunday met residents of Nilay Green Society in Ghaziabad, voicing concern over the growing menace of stray dogs in residential areas.

The meeting, organised by the society’s Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA), saw residents narrate their experiences and urge authorities to act in line with the Supreme Court’s directions.

Residents alleged that despite clear court guidelines, stray dogs continue to be fed inside societies and on adjoining streets, while aggressive animals are not being removed. Priyanshi, a resident, said her young son had stopped stepping out to practise martial arts due to fear of the dogs. Another resident, Chandrashekhar, claimed that instead of addressing complaints, the police had acted against residents, while those feeding the dogs were filing FIRs.

Goel criticised the Uttar Pradesh Government’s guidelines issued in the wake of the Supreme Court’s orders, calling them “ambiguous” and in some respects “contrary to the spirit of the Court’s directions”. He said the rules were complicating the issue rather than resolving it.

Raising the slogan “Remove stray dogs, save the country”, Goel said India accounts for the highest number of dog-bite and rabies cases worldwide and that the situation was harming tourism. “In no other country do we see such a large number of stray dogs on the streets,” he remarked.

Goel urged both the Centre and state governments to take concrete decisions without waiting for further court directions. He suggested the immediate construction of shelter homes for stray dogs so that arrangements are in place when required. He further announced that the next meeting would be hosted by the Oxy Homes Apartment Owners’ Association.

The former minister also warned that if the notifications issued by the Uttar Pradesh Government were found to be in violation of the Supreme Court’s orders, legal action would follow.