Mumbai: CM Fadnavis orders partial rollback of ban on feeding pigeons after meeting Jain community

Dadar kabutarkhana was covered by BMC on Aug 3. PIC/KIRTI SURVE PARADE

In a row that is turning increasingly political, the Maharashtra government partially rolled back the ban on feeding pigeons at kabutarkhanas in the city. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced that he had asked the BMC to continue supplying a ‘controlled quantity' of grains to kabutarkhanas, until the civic body could come up with a holistic plan to provide alternate options to feeding pigeons at centrally located kabutarkhanas.

In a row that is turning increasingly political, the Maharashtra government partially rolled back the ban on feeding of pigeons at kabutarkhanas in the city. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced that he has asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to continue supplying a ‘controlled quantity' of grains to kabutarkhanas, until the civic body can come up with a holistic plan to provide alternate options to feeding pigeons at centrally located kabutarkhanas.

Regarding the writ petition currently being heard in the Bombay High Court, the statement from the the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said: "The Maharashtra government and the BMC should present their stand before the high court during the next hearing. Meanwhile, the civic body should construct and maintain a bird house."

People feed pigeons near Dadar kabutarkhana, on Tuesday. PIC/KIRTI SURVE PARADE

Fadnavis chaired a meeting on Tuesday afternoon regarding the issue, amid rising heat from members of the Jain community. The meeting was attended by Maharashtra ministers Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Girish Mahajan, and officials from the state and municipal corporation, including civic chief Bhushan Gagrani.

Subsequently, the CMO issued a statement that read: "It is not right to suddenly close the kabutarkhanas. Alternative measures should be taken while implementing decisions taken regarding the kabutarkhana issue."

According to the statement, the BMC has been instructed to continue controlled food supply to pigeons until alternative arrangements are made so that they do not face starvation due to restrictions on food supply at kabutarkhanas.

Fadnavis has tasked the BMC with drafting rules regarding the time at which food can be supplied to pigeons. The civic body has been asked to conduct a detailed scientific study regarding the adverse effects of kabutarkhanas on the health of humans living in the vicinity, so that a solution can be reached that accounts for "saving lives of pigeons, protecting the environment, and protecting the health of citizens".

The chief minister's announcement led to the Jain community rolling back its protest in the form of a maha-aarti scheduled for 2.30 pm at the Dadar Jain temple on Tuesday. Sandeep Doshi, a trustee of the Dadar Jain temple located at the kabutarkhana Circle, told mid-day, "When a meeting got scheduled with the chief minister at 11 am on Tuesday, we, the members of the Jain community, sought blessings at 8 am before heading to the meeting for a successful outcome to our demands."

Doshi said the community is very happy with the outcome of the meeting and the decisions taken by the CM. "When we met him, we expressed our concerns about the large number of pigeons that are dying at the Dadar kabutarkhana due to BMC covering the spot. We expressed support for our cause of saving all lives, including those of animals and birds," he said.