Amid a surge in dog bite cases, with over 100 incidents reported in just two days, a committee of the Chandigarh Administration has recommended compensation for 81 victims of dog bites or attacks by stray animals so far. The city averages more than 50 such cases daily.
A meeting of the Sub-Committee on Compensation to Victims of Accidents Caused by Stray Animals or Dog Bites was held on Wednesday to review the situation. Of the 116 cases reviewed, 81 were recommended for compensation as per the established notification.
The meeting was chaired by Nishant Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh and Chairman of the committee. Other attendees included the Joint Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Medical Superintendent of the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (Sector 16), Assistant Superintendent of Police, Inspector (Traffic), and the Nodal Officer of the Dog Control Cell of the Municipal Corporation.
“The remaining cases are under verification and will be reviewed by the sub-committee once verification is complete,” the UT Administration stated.
Yadav directed all committee members to forward any compensation cases received in their offices to either the Deputy Commissioner’s Office or the Municipal Corporation to ensure they are included in the list for review and decision.
Policy on compensation
The sub-committee is part of a larger committee constituted by the Department of Local Government, Chandigarh Administration, following a notification dated July 2, based on directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Under the policy:
• In cases of death, the legal heirs of the deceased are entitled to Rs 5 lakh.
• For permanent incapacitation (as certified by a competent medical authority), compensation is set at Rs 2 lakh.
• For injuries, the compensation is assessed on a case-by-case basis, capped at Rs 2 lakh.
Specifically for dog bites, the policy states:
• A minimum of Rs 10,000 is awarded per teeth mark.
• For wounds where flesh is torn off the skin, a minimum of Rs 20,000 is awarded for every 0.2 cm of the wound, subject to a maximum of Rs 2 lakh.
The policy also outlines documentation requirements for compensation:
• For deaths: A death certificate and a copy of the FIR/DDR indicating death caused by stray animals.
• For permanent disability: A DDR, medical certificate, and hospital discharge summary.
This structured compensation mechanism aims to provide relief to victims and address the growing issue of stray animal attacks in the city.
