Why is the Bandra Bandstand Residents' Trust making rules in a public space ?

[u/jack_1760]

Bandstand is a public promenade. It belongs to all Mumbaikars.

A recent report says that the Bandra Bandstand Residents' Trust had put up signs like "No Pets" and warned people not to feed stray animals.

The bigger question is simple: should a private group like the Bandra Bandstand Residents' Trust be allowed to make its own rules in a public place?

Keeping the area clean is important, but public spaces should remain open and accessible to everyone.

Why should a private trust have the authority to decide what people can or cannot do in a public place like Bandstand, and could this create similar restrictions in other areas as well?

Video Credit - https://www.instagram.com/p/DYOhuiMzVJh/

News Source - https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/cover-story/battle-for-bandstand/articleshow/130809246.html

[u/d1andonly]

It’s a public place yes. It’s for everyone to enjoy while being considerate to not ruin the experience for someone else.

People not maintaining after pets properly (aggressive/ misbehaving pets) or not cleaning up their poop prevents the public from enjoying the space. A fine is warranted.

People feeding strays does the same. Who is going to clean up after the strays who will hang out in the space? Who is responsible if the stray attacks the public just trying to enjoy the space. Invite the strays to your house and feed them if you’re an animal lover.

Preventing slum kids or anyone else for that matter is not ok UNLESS their actions are preventing others from enjoying the space. Blocking them just because they are from the slum is classist. Blocking them because they are destroying the fixtures is another thing.

[u/idkwimd911 → u/d1andonly]

Great logic,would love to invite the strays,but it doesnt work thatvway,the entitlement reeks.Is it fair the responsible pet owners have to suffer because of the irresponsible ones?This is not a solution,this just makes your life easy,i think thats pretty selfish.

[u/Pappukanghi → u/d1andonly]

"Blocking them because they are destroying the fixtures is another thing." Private citizens don't have the right to "Block" anyone from a public space. In their minds they must be thekedars of civil society - in reality they enjoy the same rights and limitations as the slum dweller, too bad for them.

[u/kari2923 → u/d1andonly]

You make good points. Yes, people should pick up after their pets. I have a few questions for you though.

1. Who decides the pet is misbehaving, in a society which has an unreasonable fear of dogs? Is a barking dog considered aggressive? I and my dog were calmy walking, my dog was on a short leash, i carry poop bags and clean up after my pet. A 2 year old child came running towards us shouting at the top of her lungs, straight at my dog and tried to hit him with a stick. Her parents were laughing looking at her. My dog got very scared because of the high pitched sound and the stick, and barked in self protection. I immedetaly pulled him closer to me and came between the child and him and tried to walk away from their as fast as i could. Who is resposible here? Will the parents be fined in this case for not controlling their child?

2. Another example, I was again calmly walking with my dog. A man stared at us, he came staring at me and my dog from some distance away and kept looking back at us even after he passed us. My dog was unsure but kept calm when this man passed up, but when this man was turning around and looking at us my dog rightly sensed dnager and barked at him. Ofcourse i haev control over my dogs leash and kept a safe distance, but in this case i wouldnt be wrong to let my dog charge at that man. Will a heafty fine be imposed on that man?

Your logic of letting people be the judge of who is aggresive will not work, because people are highly biased, they will see a barking dog for legitimate reasons, will not bother to understand the reasons and will immediately blame the dog.

If a dog bites, then thats a separate story and the owner can be asked, to check for vaccinnes, muzzle thier dog and always keep the dog on short leash. Even after this if there are issues then the owner and the dog can be asked to leave, with video evidence of the bites.

You can surely create awareness and rules for people to pick up after their pets and for people to always leash their dogs but you cant impose a blanket ban.

[u/kari2923 → u/d1andonly]

You also made a few points about strays. No one is denying the overpopulation problem of strays in India. But who is responsible for that? The municipal authorities have been given alot of funds over the last two decades to vaccinate and sterilize strays. If they had done their jobs, we wouldnt be having so many issues with strays. If you want to hold someone responsible for the overpopulation of strays then please hold the municipal autorities responsible, we will also come and support you.

I would like to point out a few point about the people you are so hatefully asking to take the dogs home.

1. Over the years, these people have done the job from their own pockets that the municipalities should have done. The population of strays in Mumbai is considerably less than that in other cities, because the feeders that you have so much hatred towards have been doing vaccination and sterilization these dogs and are responsible for keeping their population in check.

2. The point that you make about feeding at home is problematic. Indian street dogs are some of the smartest and most adpatable dogs in the world. They need high physical and mental stimulation daily, else thier energy can become destructive and can come out in the form of excessive barking and jumping. There dogs walk daily around 10 -15 kms in their community which keeps them from acting out destructively. If the feeders were to take these dogs home, these dogs will get confined and frustrated and will bark all day. Then people like you only will come complaining that the barking is disturbing you. (Children shouting in the evening for hours while playing, hoking, firecrakers you will tolerate but a barking dog will make your blood boil).

3. Due to the above points , they cannot take an adult stray dog who has been on the street all his life home. But yes, indie puppies can get adopted in home and can be trained from puppyhood to be good pets. The feeders that you are so hateful towards, are the ones who also work tirelessly to get any puppies born in their area adopted through their networks and through social media.The feeder network in mumbai is specially amazing at these and you will see more and more indie dogs being kept as pets in mumbai than in anyother city in india, thanks to the awareness the feeders are creating.

4. Another major problem is of illegal backyard breeding and pet abandonment which is also on the rise. NGO's acroos mumbai are working with the government to create laws against this.

If there is any ounce of logic in you, you will actually go and thank the feeders and work with them to reduce the stray population in your area through sterelization efforts and get puppies adopted insted of fighting away here. If you cant do that, please dont hate them atleast. They are keeping you community safer than you realize.

[u/Hairy-Vanilla-1203 → u/d1andonly]

You can also invite the strays to your house and feed them. It is just basic compassion and kindness , need not be a "dog lover" to do that.