The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has registered 107 cases of violations related to the feeding of pigeons at kabutarkhanas across Mumbai. The BMC has collected Rs 55,700 in fines in connection with these violations between July 3 and 12, according to reports from the solid waste management department of the civic body. The highest number of fines has been collected from Dadar, Matunga, Goregaon, Malad, as well as the kabutarkhanas at the General Post Office (GPO) and Gateway of India in South Mumbai.
The state government on July 3 directed the BMC to immediately ensure the feeding of pigeons at public places across the city is stopped in light of health hazards that can lead to respiratory illnesses and several allergies among residents living in the vicinity of kabutarkhanas. Shiv Sena leader and nominated MLC Manisha Kayande had raised the issue in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Thursday, July 3, stating that kabutarkhanas pose a danger to the people living around them as their waste and feathers lead to respiratory diseases. Subsequently, Uday Samant, minister of higher and technical education, on behalf of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, said that all 51 kabutarkhanas in the city would be banned with immediate effect.
Later, on July 5, BMC’s G North ward demolished an illegally constructed shed inside Dadar’s kabutarkhana and confiscated around 25 packets of food grains weighing 50 kg each, which were stored to feed the pigeons. A senior civic official told mid-day on Monday, “There are public pigeon feeding spots in 24 wards across the city, the most prominent ones are at Dadar, Matunga, GOP in Fort, and even Chowpatty and Mohammed Ali Road. The BMC is imposing fines on citizens feeding animals in non-designated public areas under solid waste department bylaws.”
