Stray animal menace reflects major governance failure: Ex-Union minister Shanta Kumar

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar has criticized the Indian government for its failure to address the growing issue of stray animals, particularly dogs and cows, nationwide.

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister and ex-Union minister Shanta Kumar on Thursday said that the growing menace of stray animals in the country, particularly dogs and cows, reflects a serious governance failure in the world's largest democracy.

In a statement issued here, he said that people across the world would be surprised to learn that the issue of stray dogs has repeatedly reached the Supreme Court of India.

He said the Supreme Court's primary responsibility is to safeguard the Constitution and ensure governance according to constitutional principles.

He questioned why civic authorities and governments had failed to address the issue effectively.

He observed that lakhs of dog-bite cases are reported across the country every year, while stray animals also cause traffic disruptions in many cities and towns. In several rural areas, he claimed, farmers have been forced to abandon agricultural activities because of the increasing menace of stray animals.

Shanta Kumar further pointed out that India has thousands of temples possessing assets worth crores of rupees. He suggested that temples could play a constructive role by establishing and supporting Gaushalas (cow shelters), which would ensure better utilisation of devotees' donations while also contributing to social welfare.

Describing the situation of stray animals as a ''major administrative failure,'' Shanta Kumar said, ''It is unfortunate that cows, revered in Indian culture as Gau Mata, are often left wandering on roads and scavenging through garbage for food.''.

He also questioned why Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and various government departments, despite having substantial budgets, had failed to work collectively to tackle the stray dog problem.

The government could significantly control the stray dog population through sterilisation drives, and by creating designated shelters and reserved zones for stray animals, he opined.

He urged the government to formulate an effective mechanism for utilising available resources to address the issue of stray animals and improve public safety and civic management.