NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday took BBMP to task for not imposing any kind of restrictions in the movement of dogs and cattle in public places, especially in parks such as Cubbon Park and Lal Bagh.

The court further directed the Palike to come out with an action plan to deal with the menace of street dogs and cattle moving freely in public places. It also told BBMP to list the restrictions that can be imposed on pet dogs brought in by their owners to the park.

The court was hearing the petition filed by Cubbon Park Walkers Association with regard to alleged illegal constructions inside the park. Expressing concern about the plight of morning walkers, Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi observed, “People bring their dogs and don’t even chain them. There is no restriction on their movement inside the park nor is a fee charged. How are these dogs permitted in a public place?”

Recollecting an incident which the Chief Justice had witnessed during one of his visits to a European country, he said that he noticed a man along with a dog on the street. “There was literally no one on the street. It is when the dog pooped. I was noticing it entirely from the room, and the man took out a packet from his pocket and picked up the dog’s poop, and threw it in the nearby dustbin. That is civilization. Everyone follows there,” Justice Awasthi observed. When the advocate for the petitioner’s association brought to the notice of the bench about the cattle and dogs menace in public places and the seat of the government, which is located right in front of the High Court, fail to take cognizance of it, the court observed saying, “the menace is very very dangerous.”

Though BBMP informed that dogs are allowed only on Sundays, the court expressed displeasure and observed, “It is happening on a daily basis. People bring food in their vehicles to distribute to the dogs and not one but hundreds of them gather around and when you pass by them, they become very furious, some even chase,” court observed.

It adds, “It is not that you bring the dogs outside and dirty the roads, the owner is not concerned, and they just come back? Why? It is nowhere permitted. If you are keeping a dog then you have to maintain it. It is not that you keep your house clean and dirty outside. It is difficult to walk inside Cubbon Park. If they are not cleaned every day, you cannot walk because of these dogs.” “It is so unfortunate that educated people who are proud of keeping expensive dogs and when you talk to them, they will tell you the pedigree of the dogs, and then what they do on the roads,” the bench observed.