Mumbai News: Activists Warn Of Large-Scale Protests Against Crackdown On City's Kabutar Khanas, Demand Scientific Study Before Action

Mumbai: While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) started a crack down on pigeon feeding zones with the iconic Dadar Kabutar Khana on Friday, animal activists expressed resentment against the move alleging that it will cause irreparable harm to the ecology as well as the city’s heritage. To mark a protest, the activists have called for all the citizens to feed the pigeons at the places being demolished by the civic body.

On Monday, BMC undertook a drive to clear encroachments and demolish a small part of the Dadar Kabutar Khana after the state government directed the civic body to immediately shut down pigeon feeding points across the city.

As a part of the directions, the civic body’s G/North ward took action by removing stored grain sacks, demolished an unauthorised shed and dismantled an illegal fence erected around the site of Dadar Kabutar Khana.

However, this move has not gone well with animal activists as they alleged that the decision is a cruel move as it will result in eradication of a particular species and it will lead to an unwanted pandemic due to disturbance in the ecology.

The activists also alleged that there is no scientific evidence to prove that pigeon’s droppings and feathers cause respiratory issues among humans and such steps should be taken by the government only after getting a detailed research on the issue.

Sneha Visaria, founder trustee of Just Smiles Charitable Trust which has been working on saving city’s kabutar khanas from being shut down, alleged that the government is not working on the proven causes of respiratory issues like pollution, smoking, construction waste and garbage overload.

She claimed that while many families have been traditionally into the profession of selling chanas around these kabutar khanas, they have never reported any serious respiratory issues.

“China suffered from a pandemic after it got all the sparrows killed in the country. Later they had to import the species to balance the ecology. Same will happen with Mumbai if the government does not stop here. It seems like the government wants to utilise these land parcels for development under the guise of health risk as these feeding spots are at premium localities across the city,” she said.

Activists said while the trees are being felled in Mumbai at an alarming rate, the order to prohibit pigeon feeding will be disastrous for the birds. They questioned how the kabutar khanas became a cause of respiratory issues only in the past few months while they have been there for centuries. Bird lovers also raised concerns over BMC’s two-faced policy as they alleged that the civic body, after releasing a new feeding policy, is not following it.

Roshan Pathak, animal rights advisor with Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) Foundation, alleged that the move is politically motivated as the civic body elections are coming close. He alleged that the civic body is harassing the birds even when there are other important works remaining to be undertaken in the city. He threatened that animal lovers will hit the streets in huge numbers if the decision is not reversed.

“All the animal and bird lovers will feed pigeons at the same place where the Dadar kabutar khana stands as a mark of protest. The BMC cannot stop any feeder from providing food or water to the birds as it is our fundamental right. If the harassment does not stop soon, all the animal and bird lovers will hit the streets to protest against the BMC as well as the state government on a large scale,” he added.

Sunish Subramanian, founder of Plant and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) Mumbai, said that if the government claims that the overpopulation of pigeons is causing the issues, it should work on reducing the population in a scientific manner with a balanced approach.

Mumbai News: BMC Takes Action Against Dadar Kabutar Khana After Govt Instructions To Shut 51 Pigeon Feeding Spots

“Kabutar khanas have been there since ages but its overpopulation is a more recent issue. There should be scientific study behind the cause and then there should be an action with scientific temperament and a balanced approach. Removing these structures alone will not solve the issue and there should be a long-term plan for it.”