New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a stay order after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) razed the shanty of an octogenarian woman, who takes care of around 300 stray dogs, as reported by the news agency ANI. The stay order has been issued till the completion of the hearing in the matter. Pratima Devi (80), a dog lover has been taking care of stray dogs in a dilapidated shanty in Delhi's Saket area for several years.


Pratima Devi on Monday alleged that MCD workers razed her jhuggi, shop, and a makeshift shelter for the canines. "MCD workers demolished my jhuggi and shop. They took away my belongings and also beat my dogs. I have at least 250-300 dogs. I am sitting under the tree now with my dogs," Pratima Devi told ANI.


She said that she would take care of the dogs as long as she lives. "Since morning the dogs have not been fed. I came to Delhi in 1984. Since then I have been taking care of dogs. I am 80 years old now. I do not have the physical strength to move around or look for work. I want to stay here and take care of these dogs for as long as I live," Pratima Devi added.


She has been staying with dogs on the street after the demolition. However, the High Court on Wednesday gave a stay order till the completion of the hearing regarding this matter, hence she is expected to get some relief.


After the news of the demolition of her jhuggi, people are reaching out for help. Some people are bringing food for the dogs while some are bringing warm clothes for the octogenarian woman, ANI reported. After the action of MCD, Animal lover Sooraj also reached out to Pratima Devi for help.


"In this severe cold where people are finding it difficult to leave the house, the woman is helping so many stray dogs by giving them shelter. People should help her. The action taken by MCD is wrong. No notice was given before the action. Taking care of so many dogs is not an easy task, but she is not only giving homes to so many dogs but also providing them with food and water. She is also taking full care of them, people should come forward to help her," Sooraj told ANI.


A person working in the parking lot near PVR Saket said that he has been seeing the elderly woman helping the dogs for the last many years. "Many times people go away leaving their dogs. Amma gives shelter to these dogs and feeds them," he told ANI.
She alleged that earlier in 2017 also MCD had razed her makeshift shelter for dogs.


(With ANI Inputs)