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HC directs BMC to form animal welfare panel to resolve dispute of feeding strays at Kandivali hsg soc
Mumbai: The Bombay high court (HC) recently directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to expeditiously constitute an Animal Welfare Committee within 15 days to decide a dispute between the housing society in Kandivali West and its resident, an animal lover, over the former’s claim of ‘serious problem’ caused due to ‘indiscriminate’ feeding of community animals
Mumbai: The Bombay high court (HC) recently directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to expeditiously constitute an Animal Welfare Committee within 15 days to decide a dispute between the housing society in Kandivali West and its resident, an animal lover, over the former’s claim of ‘serious problem’ caused due to ‘indiscriminate’ feeding of community animals.
The society claimed that the stray dogs had become aggressive as a result of feeding and therefore they were biting or attacking senior citizens or children.
The court said that while it cannot decide whether the dogs are aggressive or not, it is better that the dispute is resolved by the animal welfare panel.
“It would not be possible for us to go into the rival claims involving the breach of the feeding point protocols, the breach of timings, aggression by some of the animals, etc,” the court observed while passing an order in a writ petition filed by the housing society against the BMC and its members. “These are matters that are best considered by the Animal Welfare Committee”.
A member of the society disputing this position contends that a mechanism was put in place by the order of the HC and that even the society seeks implementation of this order to which he has no objection.
Rule 20 (feeding of community animals) of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 refers to the responsibility of Resident Welfare, Apartment Owner Association, or Local Body’s responsibility to feed community animals as a compassionate gesture, observed the division bench presided over by justice Kamal Khata and justice MS Sonak. It also provides that an animal welfare committee shall be where there is a conflict between the resident welfare association or apartment owner association and the animal caregivers or other residents.
The committee will hear the housing society and its members or any other residents interested in feeding or caring for the animals in the society premises or in and around the society premises. The court has also directed the committee to consider visiting the society’s premises to ascertain the position firsthand.