In a landmark decision, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that state governments are primarily responsible for compensating victims of dog bites. The court specified a minimum financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per tooth mark and set compensation at Rs 20,000 for wounds of 0.2 cm or more. This directive, given during the hearing of petitions related to dog bite incidents, applies when flesh is removed from the skin.
The High Court, disposing of 193 petitions, directed the governments of Punjab and Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to form committees led by deputy commissioners to determine compensation. The committees are required to issue awards within four months of claim submission, and the state is obligated to pay compensation from its resources, with the right to recover from defaulting agencies or private individuals.
This ruling gains significance as dog bite cases are on the rise nationwide. Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, in particular, has been witnessing a surge with 70-80 daily reported incidents and the administration of 150-180 injections daily to victims, according to recent data from the state government.