Kabutar Khana Row: ‘No Data On Health Risks From Pigeon Droppings Or Feathers,’ Says Maharashtra’s UDD In RTI Reply

Mumbai: The state of Maharashtra has no data available about the cases of health issues reported due to pigeon droppings or feathers, accepted by the state’s urban development department (UDD) in reply to information sought under the right to information (RTI) act.

Bombay High Court Seeks Medical Data Amid Public Health Concerns Over Pigeons

Amid the debate over the closure of kabutarkhanas and ban on pigeon feeding in the city, which according to the BMC, pose health risks to Mumbaikars, the Bombay High Court on Thursday noted serious public health concerns arising from pigeon droppings. While it extended the interim protection against demolition of kabutarkhanas, it called for medical data to assess the impact on citizens.

No Permission Sought from Courts for Closure of Pigeon Feeding Spots, Says State

Surprisingly, the state does not have any data about the cases of human health deteriorating due to pigeon feathers and droppings, revealed the state’s UDD in a reply to RTI query filed by animal activist Roshan Pathak.

It also asked the state if any permissions were secured from the court before shutting down the pigeon feeding spots. The state replied to both the queries saying that it is unable to provide the data as it is not available in their records.

UDD Deflects Relocation Query, Redirects Responsibility to BMC

The RTI also sought information about whether the kabutarkhanas are being planned to relocate to any alternate place but the state did not provide any different reply. UDD, which is the parent department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), passed the parcel to the civic body saying that the queries are related to the municipal corporation.

Activist Slams Govt for ‘Absurd’ Move, Warns of Starvation and Mass Deaths Among Pigeons

Pathak, who is the animal rights advisor at Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) Foundation, said, “It was only after receiving directions from the Maharashtra government that the BMC initiated action and now its parent body is saying that they do not have any data. Their absurd steps will lead to a lot of pigeons dying of starvation and only the state will be responsible for it. They are acting against these innocent birds as if they plan to eradicate them from the city. Rather than taking action against the rising pollution in the city, which is scientifically proven to cause serious respiratory issues to humans , they are going all out against the pigeons.”

BMC Cracks Down on Kabutarkhanas Following State Orders, Imposes Fines on Feeders

Notably, BMC has undertaken a drive to stop pigeon feeding at kabutarkhanas across the city after the state government directed the civic body to immediately shut down pigeon feeding points across the city. Starting with a drive to clear encroachments and demolish a small part of the Dadar KabutarKhana, the civic body has now started imposing fines on feeders.