GURGAON: The residents' welfare association (RWA) of a housing society in Greater Faridabad has fined a dog lover Rs 1.3 lakh over the past three years for feeding strays in unauthorised areas.
Divya Nair, a private firm employee known among residents of Princess Park in Sector 86 for her compassion towards stray animals, has been feeding dogs within the society since 2022.
According to RWA officials, the fine was levied after Nair repeatedly fed dogs in parks, the basketball court, parking lots, and other public spaces despite the society designating a specific feeding zone in the market area. The RWA alleged her actions had created a mess on the campus and raised safety concerns for other residents.
A senior police official clarified that RWAs do not have the authority to levy fines on residents. "No, they can't. We can initiate action against them only if the woman lodges a complaint," the official added.
The Princess Park dispute unfolded against the backdrop of recent Supreme Court rulings on the issue of stray dogs. Responding to concerns over rising dog bite incidents and rabies cases in Delhi-NCR, the apex court modified earlier orders that called for strays to be moved to shelter homes.
The latest ruling allowed authorities to release strays after sterilisation, but clarified that aggressive or rabid dogs must be kept in shelters. Most importantly, the court banned the feeding of stray dogs in public spaces and instructed authorities to set up dedicated feeding areas.
The tussle between the RWA and Nair escalated when she took to social media platform X, alleging that she was assaulted for feeding dogs and her family faced threats from local police. She also claimed that all dog feeding had been banned in the society since the revised Supreme Court order last week, and lady bouncers had been deployed by the RWA to enforce the rule.
Nair expressed concern that nearly 40 stray dogs in the area were now starving because of such restrictions.
RWA vice-president Ranmeek Chahal insisted that the society's measures were intended at protecting residents - especially children and the elderly - from potential harm.
The RWA has now decided to pursue legal action against Nair to recover the outstanding fine.
Anjali Singh is a city reporter at The Times of India based in Gu...
Read MoreAnjali Singh is a city reporter at The Times of India based in Gurgaon, where she primarily covers education, social welfare, labour , sports and condominium developments, among other topics. With a keen interest in photography, art and music, Anjali brings a creative perspective to her reporting.
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