Lok Sabha Question No. 2126 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-15
Subject: Stray Animals
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Chandra Prakash Joshi, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, Sangamlal Kadedin Gupta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2126 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15 TH MARCH, 2022

## STRAY ANIMALS

## 2126.  SHRIMATI RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

SHRI BRIJBHUSHAN SHARAN SINGH:

SHRI SANGAM LAL GUPTA:

## Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING मत्स्यपालन , पशुपालनऔरडेयरीमंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  number  of  stray  animals  increasing  in  the  country,  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  proposed  to  provide  security  ot  the  citizens  residing  in  the urban residential areas from the menance of stray animals like ox, dogs, monkeys etc.;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the details of the steps taken by the Government to handle the increasing number of stray animals in the country;
- (d) whether tourists as well as common people face difficulties due to the terror caused by these animals  at  various  tourist  places  and  places  of  religious  importance  which  ultimately impact tourism;
- (e)  whether the Government has got any data of the deaths caused by the animals, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor State-wise;
- (f)  whether  the  Government  is  not  sensitive  towards  the  loss  of  life  caused  by  these  stray animals and if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the number of Gaushalas set up under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission in the country during the last three years?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a): National level of information regarding Livestock population is collected every  5  years. The last livestock census was conducted in 2019 and next census is due in 2024. As per 2019 census, total population of stray dog and stray cattle in the country was 203.31 lakh.

(b)  to  (g): The  management  of  public  health,  sanitation  and  cattle  pounds  comes  under  the purview of the State/UT Government and the local bodies need to evolve the mechanism to control stray animals in order to protect the citizens.

As per the Article 246(3) of the Constitution of India in List II of Seventh Schedule the Preservation,  protection  and  improvement  of  stock  and  prevention  of  animal  diseases; veterinary training and practice is under State list on which the State has exclusive power to make laws for such State or any part thereof with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List II in the Seventh Schedule. Further, as per the Article 48 of the Constitution of India, State shall  endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.

As per the Eleventh Schedule of Constitution of India, the state may endow Panchayat to establish  and  run  the  Cattle  Pounds  (Kanji  Houses)/Gaushala  Shelters  (community  assets). Many States are establishing the Gaushalas and Shelter houses for control of Stray Cattle.

Further, as per Section 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, it is the duty of every person having care or charge of any animal to take all reasonable measures to ensure the  wellbeing  of  such  animals  and  to  prevent  infliction  of  unnecessary  pain  and  suffering. Section 11(1) (h) of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 provides that it is a cruelty, if any person, being the owner of (any animal) fails to provide such animal with sufficient food, drink or shelter and as per the Section 11 (1)(i) it is a Cruelty, if any person, without reasonable cause, abandons any animal in circumstances which tender it likely that it will suffer pain by reason  or  starvation,  thirst  and  it  is  also  a  punishable  offense  under  PCA  Act,  1960.  The Provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and Rules framed there under need to be implemented by the State Governments.

In view of the aforesaid constitutional arrangements, the States are mandated to arrange the  shelters  and  kanji  house  to  control  the  stray  animals  population.  Further,  the  Central Government has framed Rules for Animal Birth Control (Dogs) to control the dog population. It  is  the  duty  of  the  Local  Bodies  are  mandated  to  implement  the  ABC  Programme  in  their respective localities as per provisions of the Rules.

State/UT-wise  the  number  of  persons  killed  by  animals  during  2018-2020  is  placed  at Annexure-I.

No Gaushalas has been set up under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission in the country during the last three years. However, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) provides financial assistance to the recognized Gaushalas/AWOs/NGOs/SPCAs and Local bodies under a scheme namely Shelter House for establishment of new animal Shelter House and under the Regular Grant  Scheme  for  maintenance  of  animal  shelters,  animal  medicines,  purchase  of  medical equipment and conducting of veterinary camps etc. and rescued cattle maintenance grant for maintenance of the animals rescued from illegal transportation/slaughter-houses.  In  addition, provides financial assistance under the scheme of Provision of Ambulance Services for animals in  distress  for  purchase  of  suitable  vehicles  for  transportation,  rescue  and  also  for  providing emergency services to animals in distress.

*****

State/UT-wise Number of Persons Killed by Animals during 2018-2020

## Annexure-I

| S.No.   | State/UT                    | 2018   | 2019   |   2020 |
|---------|-----------------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh              | 31     | 25     |     32 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh           | 2      | 1      |      1 |
| 3       | Assam                       | 77     | 90     |    100 |
| 4       | Bihar                       | 10     | 15     |     11 |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh                | 91     | 109    |     95 |
| 6       | Goa                         | 3      | 0      |      1 |
| 7       | Gujarat                     | 42     | 61     |     55 |
| 8       | Haryana                     | 25     | 35     |     23 |
| 9       | Himachal Pradesh            | 9      | 33     |      9 |
| 10      | Jharkhand                   | 57     | 41     |     41 |
| 11      | Karnataka                   | 53     | 61     |     59 |
| 12      | Kerala                      | 24     | 30     |     32 |
| 13      | Madhya Pradesh              | 78     | 102    |    103 |
| 14      | Maharashtra                 | 150    | 180    |    163 |
| 15      | Manipur                     | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 16      | Meghalaya                   | 1      | 2      |      1 |
| 17      | Mizoram                     | 1      | 0      |      0 |
| 18      | Nagaland                    | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 19      | Odisha                      | 79     | 112    |     94 |
| 20      | Punjab                      | 16     | 34     |     42 |
| 21      | Rajasthan                   | 75     | 136    |     65 |
| 22      | Sikkim                      | 0      | 1      |      0 |
| 23      | Tamil Nadu                  | 60     | 80     |    112 |
| 24      | Telangana                   | 15     | 12     |     24 |
| 25      | Tripura                     | 0      | 3      |      1 |
| 26      | Uttar Pradesh               | 138    | 169    |    162 |
| 27      | Uttarakhand                 | 24     | 13     |     22 |
| 28      | West Bengal                 | 67     | 77     |     55 |
|         | TOTAL STATE(S)              | 1128   | 1422   |   1303 |
| 29      | A &NIslands                 | 0      | 0      |      1 |
| 30      | Chandigarh                  | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 31      | D&N Haveli and Daman&Diu @+ | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 32      | Delhi UT                    | 2      | 3      |      0 |
| 33      | Jammu &Kashmir @*           | 0      | 0      |      1 |
| 34      | Ladakh@                     | -      | -      |      0 |
| 35      | Lakshadweep                 | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 36      | Puducherry                  | 0      | 0      |      0 |
|         | TOTAL UT(S)                 | 2      | 3      |      2 |
|         | TOTAL (ALL INDIA)           | 1130   | 1425   |   1305 |

Source: NCRB

Note: As per data provided by States/UTs

'+' Combined data of erstwhile D & N HAVELI AND DAMAN & DIU UT during 2018-2019

'*' Data of erstwhile JAMMU & KASHMIR State Including LADAKH during 2018-2019

'@' Data of newly created Union territory