A simmering conflict between Ghaziabad residents and dog feeders boiled over on Sunday as hundreds of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) gathered to address the stray dog menace.
The meeting, addressed by former Union Minister and Lok Abhiyan President Vijay Goel, highlighted the growing fear among citizens and the alleged inaction of authorities.
The meeting held at Oxy Society, Bhopra, saw residents voice their grievances. They expressed feeling scared and helpless due to the lack of police and administration action. A key point of contention was dog feeders continuing to feed canines inside societies and apartments, despite what residents claim are clear Supreme Court orders against the practice. Residents cited a direct fear of these feeders, in addition to their fear of the dogs.
Goel, who has been leading a three-year-long movement on the issue, stated that a large number of people from Ghaziabad and Noida are now joining his campaign. He accused almost all state governments, including Uttar Pradesh, of violating two specific Supreme Court directives.
According to Goel, governments have failed to establish designated feeding spots for strays and have not taken biting or aggressive dogs to shelter homes.
The former minister reiterated his demand for a permanent solution. He called for stray dogs to be removed from the streets and insisted that people affected by dog bites receive compensation. “No solution is possible until stray dogs are removed from the streets,” Goel said.
“When the government and dog feeders are not ready to follow two simple instructions of the Supreme Court, how will the problem of dog bites be solved?”
The gathering underscored the frustration of residents who feel caught between a public safety issue and the disregard for judicial directives.
