Designated places for pigeon feeding must be created: Health department to GBA

Bengaluru: The Health and Family Welfare department issued an order to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to control the population of pigeons across the city. The GBA has been directed to create designated spots for pigeon feeding and permit feeding only for limited hours in the day. 

Close contact with pigeons and pigeon droppings are reported to be injurious to respiratory health causing hypersensitivity pneumonia and other lung issues. 

The order said that actions will be initiated against anyone violating the rules. Those violations that are likely to attract a fine and imprisonment up to two years are: Feeding the pigeons as the act will be considered public nuisance; negligent act likely to spread infection or cause danger to life and malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life. 

The GBA will also have to ensure proper sanitation, prevent the spread of dangerous disease and undertake necessary measures to maintain the standard of public health. The upkeep and maintenance of the designated feeding place will be handed over to a Non-Government Organisation, said the order. 

The department has instructed GBA to conduct public awareness including signboards and messages regarding the risks associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of regulatory directions and the penalties for violations and alternative humane methods of bird conservation.

Last month, BJP MLA and former minister S Suresh Kumar, wrote a letter to GBA chief Maheshwar Rao requesting to stop pigeon feeding in public after pressure from citizens of his constituency.