Activist Condemns Poonch Order Assigning Teachers Stray Dog Monitoring Roles

Social activist Raja Shakeel has condemned a district order directing schools in Poonch to nominate teachers as nodal officers for managing stray dog issues around premises. The directive has elicited mixed responses from educators and the public amid safety concerns.

According to details received by The Chenab Times, the Chief Education Officer Poonch issued the order on December 9. It requires government and private schools to appoint one nodal officer each to report stray dog sightings and incidents, coordinate with municipal and animal husbandry bodies for action, and promote safety awareness among staff and students.

The order mandates displaying the nodal officer’s contact details outside school boundaries. Reports indicated compliance reports were due by December 11. It follows a meeting on stray dog control and animal birth control held on December 3.

Raja Shakeel described the assignment as an insult to teachers’ dignity. He stated, “A teacher’s dignity is not a dog’s duty. In every religion and every civilized society, teachers are accorded the highest respect. Assigning them such tasks is not just absurd—it is humiliating.” He added, “Whatever I am today is because of my teachers. I stand firmly with them, and I urge every parent, teacher, and citizen to reject such disrespectful directives.”

Educational forums and civil society groups have demanded withdrawal of the order and accountability. Some teachers questioned its appropriateness on social media, viewing it as an attack on the profession.

Others supported the measure citing public safety. A recent incident in neighboring Rajouri district, where a sixth-standard girl was killed by stray dogs, was referenced as justification. Netizens noted it as a genuine step to address the growing menace.

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