PUNE: The managing committee of a Ganga Heights, a cooperative housing society in Mundhwa, was dissolved by the office of deputy registrar, following cases filed by a resident who was denied a no-objection certificate (NOC) to transfer his home loan because of outstanding fines of more than Rs 70,000 — slapped on him for walking pets in the society park.An official from the office of the deputy registrar told TOI two cases were filed by Gaurav Singh, the applicant — one regarding the illegal managing committee and another on NOC denial.“Both sides were called to the hearing. Following which, two orders were passed by the registrar’s office. One directed the society to give a NoC to the applicant within 15 days of the date when the order was issued,” he said. “The managing committee of the society has also been dissolved because it was formed illegally, in contravention of the rules of the act. An administrator has been appointed in its lieu. As per the law, a society must hold elections to appoint committee members every five years. This was not happening in the case of this managing committee. Therefore, it was dissolved,” the official said.The deputy registrar also noted there was no rule in the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960, barring residents from owning pets or fining them for walking pets in the park.Speaking to TOI, Singh said, “The society had passed a resolution in 2016, levying a fine of Rs 100 for walking pets in the garden. In 2017, the fine was hiked to Rs 1,000 for every instance. Even when we stopped walking our pets in the garden and walked them on the road, the managing committee charged the fine illegally. Though we never paid, the amount had risen.”Singh first approached city-based NGO Prani Seva Sanstha. Amit Shah , the founder of the NGO and the lawyer who represented Singh, said, “As per the rules of Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960, there is no provision to penalise residents for keeping pets. We, therefore, suggested that Singh approach the Registrar of Co-operative Societies. This is an important case in an issue such as this when pet owners are fined illegally and harassed by committee members.”Meanwhile, a source in the managing committee, who did not wish to be named, said, “It was not such a big issue. Fining the residents for walking their dogs in the park was a way to deter them from dirtying the area. Also, we did not find it safe for our children with dogs in the park area. It was after the order of the deputy registrar that we came to know that residents cannot be fined for this.”

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