A week after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) allotted four spots across the city for controlled pigeon feeding, not a single petitioner or voluntary organisation has stepped forward to maintain them. Petitioners insist the civic body should instead allow feeding at the city’s 51 existing kabutarkhanas.
Last Friday, the civic body permitted controlled feeding at Worli reservoir, Lokhandwala Back Road in Andheri, Old Airoli-Mulund Octroi Naka, and Gorai Maidan in Borivli West. Organisations were asked to apply for permission and take responsibility for maintaining the sites, but no applications have been received so far.
Petitioners speak
Sneha Visaria, one of the petitioners who approached the Bombay High Court against the ban, said, “We have maintained our stand that BMC should atleast allow controlled feeding of pigeons at kabutarkhanas. It is not feasible to travel five to eight kilometres every morning to feed pigeons. These new spots are at inaccessible locations.”
Visaria added that petitioners are still waiting for BMC to submit its report after collecting public suggestions and objections. “The report was expected in September, but there has been a delay of two months. The next court hearing is on Dec 11,” she said.
There are four petitions against the ban, including one by a Pune-based organisation and another by the Dadar Temple Trust. Reacting to the BMC’s move, petitioner Hardik Hundiya said, “Since the matter is in court, we won’t approach the BMC. Temporary arrangements won’t solve the issue.”
BMC’s statement
In a statement issued last Friday, BMC said that feeding at four designated sites was an interim decision until the expert committee appointed by the Bombay High Court submits its report. BMC officials were not available for comment on the update by the press time.
