Fight against illegal Animal Shelter reaches HC

4/7/2018

PUNE: The harassed residents of Gurunanak Nagar on Shankarsheth Road here have approached the Bombay High Court against the Clandestine Animal Shelter Mission Possible that has made life hell for the people in the vicinity.

The HC has admitted the plea filed by the irate residents that asked for immediate relocation of the shelter and action by the civic body. Advocate Ashutosh Srivastav, the lawyer appearing for the residents of the area, informed about the development in the press conference today.

Speaking about the development, Srivastav said, “The conflict is centred on Mission Possible, a shelter for dogs and cats in a residential neighbourhood at Gurunanak Nagar on Shankarsheth road. Both the health department and encroachment department of Pune Municipal Corporation have admitted that this shelter is an illegal one. The organization is registered as a charitable trust and claims to be moving soon to a land in Saswad, provided by Amarsingh Jadhavrao but is not moving for the last five years.”

“The reason we have approached the Bombay HC is that Dr. Kasbekar has already filed a petition against Pune Municipal Corporation in HC asking a stay on the demolition of the center. The period of the stay was to end on June 28 th and we have filed a plaint asking the Hon. HC to make us a party in the said petition and the court has admitted the same request,” added Srivastav.

The property where the shelter is currently situated is owned by Padmini Stump and it is run by Stump, along with Dr Ravi Kasbekar, an Oncologist, and four to five workers, who live on the premises. The shelter claims to cater to abandoned, injured, sick, abused or maggot-infected dogs and cats and provide a place to live. However, it has caused much nuisance and agony to the residents living here, many of whom have abandoned their prime properties because of the menace of these animals.

The problems of the residents range from dead animals being buried in the premise of the bungalow, suffering from mosquito-borne viral infections caused by the dirty water from the shelter and the filth left behind by stray dogs, having to bear with the stink and filth from the infected animals, the animals’ hair being cut and burnt in front of their kitchen, the animals howling in the dead of the night and giving sleepless nights to them etc.

Parikh said, “The responsibility of keeping the spaces clean lies with Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), however it has shunned the responsibility leaving the residents in the lurch. We tried to approach the police but they also expressed their helplessness in the matter.” 

Kalra said, “The carcasses of the dead animals are left in the open at times that puts the hygiene of the area in jeopardy. The residents are frequenting Khadak Police Station and PMC, leaving their duties aside, to get justice in the matter. We demand that this shelter be relocated as soon as possible to the planned site in Saswad and strict action be taken against the PMC officials who have avoided their duty.”