Lucknow, Feb 23 : The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has sought a reply from the state government on the provisions for protection of stray animals in Uttar Pradesh.

The court, on Thursday, directed the state to file an affidavit within four weeks, bringing on record the 'relevant provisions under which protection to stray animals has been provided or the scheme under which such a duty as may be cast upon the state or for that matter upon any other agency, may be carried out without allowing any public complaints to arise.'

This order was passed by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice A.R. Masoodi on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by a local lawyer Archana Singh Tomer in person in 2006.

The petitioner had raised the issue of protection of stray animals in the PIL. The report submitted by A.K. Bajpai, amicus curiae appointed in the matter, was taken on record by the court.

A copy of the report had also been handed over to the counsel for the state and the Lucknow Municipal Corporation.

The court directed that the report be circulated to all other local bodies by the state.

'Suggestions may be solicited from all concerned so as to formulate a viable scheme under which the stray animals can be looked after and monitored through any such mechanism evolved by the state in collaboration with the local bodies or agencies,' the court further directed, listing the matter in the first week of April.

/IANS