Mumbai: Tenants, members of Jogeshwari building say society secretary making their life hell

The tenants and few members of a Jogeshwari society are up in arms against their secretary for allegedly issuing diktats ranging from what the residents should wear to home inspections as per whims to unreasonable conditions for guests While the tenants and members call it a violation of their constitutional rights the lsquosecretaryrsquo insists he is trying to keep the place safeMembers of Atharva CHS off Veera Desai Road said the secretary Venkatesh Kulkarni has made it mandatory for tenants to get his approval before allowing guests including tenantsrsquo parents and family members home or getting courier and food delivery boys come to their doorstepThey said Kulkarni a retired bureaucrat has had several runins with members and tenants for dictating what women should wear on the society premises to making sudden ldquoinspection visitsrdquo to peoplersquos homes The 9storey building has 16 flats half of which have tenants The owners of only four of the other flats live thereWhat has particularly upset the tenants is a circular that says ldquoNo unidentified and unauthorised person will be allowed to enter the society premises by the security guard If any guest is coming to the tenants flat who is not listed in the verified agreement copies should submit a copy of intimation consisting of details such as guests names duration of stay and purpose of stay to the society officerdquoFilmmaker Prashant Singh a tenant in the building for two and half years said his parents who live in Kalyan were being stopped from entering the building without the permission of the secretary ldquoI live by myself with a dog and a cat Friends and family come if Irsquom travelling for work at short notice to stay and care for my pets How can I go to the secretary for permission all the time just for visitors to come homerdquo he questioned Singh approached the Amboli police who told him that such rules cannot be enforced But the secretary is adamantSingh is not alone On November 12 last year Kulkarni had called the mother of a wellknown music composer a ldquosex workerrdquo insisting that they were not mother and son and that they were running a prostitution racket from their home ldquoI lodged a formal complaint with the police about this man and was assured that action will be taken If it was done then he would not be emboldened to this extentrdquo said the composerIt is not that tenants alone are up in arms Amala Chenvankar 69 who owns flat 702 told midday ldquoIn the past too he has harassed tenants into leavingrdquo and added ldquoAs flat owners we object to this dictatorship and ask for tenantsrsquo rights to be respectedrdquoPushpa Kamble 70 of Flat 201 said two of her tenants left due to harassment by Kulkarni ldquoIrsquom very worried about these lsquorulesrsquo because if tenants keep getting chased away wersquoll lose rent During the pandemic when everything is in a tizzy this only adds to our financial woesrdquo Kulkarni has also thrown away the stray dogs that were taking shelter in the society compoundTenant Richa Mallick 36 who has been taking care of the dogs said ldquoHe has asked to remove and relocate the puppies born in the building when I personally have got them all vaccinated groomed trained and fed them They need shelter in rain and heat I am ready to pay the society and take the guarantee for cleanliness on the campus Their onus is on me and even the high court has asked us to be kind to the voicelessrdquo Kulkarni asserted that he would not withdraw the rule ldquoI am doing this for their own good and safety If they donrsquot like it both tenants and owners should move outrdquo he saidKhaptype behaviour ExpertAbha Singh a former civil servant and an advocate practising in Bombay HC said no secretary can make rules as per hisher own whims and fancies ldquoNo housing societies can have a rule that violates the law of the landrdquo Singh also a renowned activist added ldquoI will call this Khaptype behaviour which is declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court The secretary cannot certify who will enter the society and who will go You will have to follow what BMC guidelines arerdquo