BMC Covers Dadar Kabutarkhana Again to Stop Pigeon Feeding

Mumbai:In a bid to prevent people from feeding the pigeons, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has again covered the Dadar Kabutarkhana with tarpaulin sheets. It repaired the damaged bamboo cladding at the spot before putting silver coloured tarpaulin sheets over bamboo sticks on the pigeon feeding area. The security has also been beefed up in the area to prevent any law and order issue.

On August 6, a large number of protesters removed the tarpaulin cover, put up by the BMC at the Dadar Kabutarkhana to discourage the practice of feeding grains to pigeons and also clashed with police.

The BMC’s move to cover the pigeon feeding area with tarpaulin sheets comes a day after the Jain community decided to hold a hunger strike on Wednesday to protest against the closure of pigeon feeding spots in the city. Jain Muni Nilesh Chandra Vijay has threatened to sit on hunger strike on August 13 saying that they will not obey even the court and constitution if things go against the religion.

“Jain society is a peaceful society. It is not our job to take up arms. We will use the path of Satyagraha and hunger strike. But if necessary, we will even take up arms for religion. We respect the Constitution of India and respect the courts, but if things are going against religion, we will not obey them,” said Nilesh Chandra Vijay on Sunday.

The BMC’s decision to ban public feeding of pigeons in view of health hazards associated with the practice and close Kabutarkhanas has led to a controversy. People who feed pigeons have challenged the civic body’s decision in the Bombay High Court.

Following complaints of health hazards, the BMC ordered the closure of all 51 Kabutarkhanas in Mumbai including 92-year-old Dadar Kabutarkhana. The Bombay High Court has refrained from staying the closure order saying “human life is of paramount importance.” The Court has deemed pigeon feeding a ‘public nuisance’ and a potential health hazard to people of all age groups.