By News18
The Maharashtra government has ordered the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to shut down 鈥榢abootar khanas鈥 (pigeons feeding point) in Mumbai, due to the health hazards arising out of their droppings. Dubbed as 鈥榬ats of the sky鈥, pigeons are carriers of several diseases. The matter has now reached in the legislative council of Maharashtra.
As per a report by the Hindustan Times, one of the members highlighted an incident where pigeons were being fed pizza and burgers, while another shared a personal tragedy, citing a death in the family attributed to a lung disease linked to the birds. This move comes as part of ongoing efforts to address the public health risks trigerred by uncontrolled pigeon populations in the city.
Shiv Sena (UBT) member Manisha Kayande said that the illegal feeding sport across Mumbai had converted footpaths into pigeon shelters. She also cited findings by the Indian Journal of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology that states how pigeon excreta can infiltrate the respiratory system and cause severe illness.
Minister Uday Samant replied on behalf of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is also the Urban Development Minister, and said there are 51 鈥榢abootar khanas鈥 in the city. 鈥淭he civic body will be asked to start (an awareness) drive against 鈥榢abootar khanas鈥 within a month. Directions will be issued to the BMC to immediately start the process of shutting 鈥榢abootar khanas鈥,鈥 Samant was quoted by PTI as saying.
In a written reply, Shinde said unauthorised 鈥榢abootar khanas鈥 in Santacruz East and Daulat Nagar and Santacruz West have been shut down. A traffic island and Miyawaki gardens have been created at these places by the BMC, he said.