A woman living alone in a Goregaon housing society has alleged harassment by residents of her housing society for feeding community animals near her society premises.
The resident has lodged an NC at the Bangur Nagar police station over the matter. Roma Nair, 40, said she had been feeding around 20 animals including dogs and cats and was told by the society’s office bearer on Thursday to either relocate the animals or take them into her house.
She alleged he had also threatened her to “wait and watch” if she continued with her feeding. Nair said she fears the animals may be harmed.
“I have been a tenant in the society for the past six years and have lived in different flats in the society during the period. Due to the issue with my feeding animals, my real estate agent has told me that the building secretary has told him not to show any flats to me here anymore,” Nair said, adding that other residents have also made similar suggestions to her.
Animals causing damage
The complex’s society Mahesh Ghag said he had indeed asked her to feed the animals inside her home or at some distance from the spot where she now feeds them. He said there are cleanliness issues due to the feeding and the animals have also damaged the seat covers of two-wheelers, which is a cause for concern.
Vijay Mohanani, founder of Bombay Animal Rights, an organization that works in in the area of animal rescue, said instances of harassment of animal feeders had increased after the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench’s order that had said that those interested in welfare of animals or feeding them, should adopt them or put them in shelter homes and bear the expenses.
"People are not aware that the Supreme Court had stayed these observations from the order," he said. Mohanani added that as per the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) guidelines as well as an apex court order, there must be a mandatory designated feeding zone for animals in every housing society.
