Mumbai civic body covers Dadar Kabutarkhana once again, steps up security

Mumbai: Days after agitators removed a tarpaulin cover from a 'kabutarkhana' (pigeon feeding spot) in Mumbai's Dadar area, the city civic body has again covered it with plastic sheets, officials said on Monday.

Security has been beefed up in the area to prevent any law and order issue and deter people from feeding the birds, they said.

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

Maharashtra minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha later claimed Jain community members had no role in the protest at the popular pigeon feeding spot.

He had clarified there was no religious angle to the pigeon feeding issue.

The BMC on Sunday again covered the kabutarkhana with plastic sheets.

It repaired the damaged bamboo cladding at the spot before putting silver coloured plastic sheets on the pigeon feeding area, located on the west side of Dadar station, the officials said.

To avoid any law and order issue and prevent people from feeding the birds, security at the site has been stepped up and the civic body also deployed its marshals at the kabutarkhana, they said.

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.

On August 7, the HC said it had not passed any order directing the closure of kabutarkhanas in the city, but only refrained from staying the closure order of the municipal corporation.

A committee of experts can study whether the old kabutarkhanas in the city should continue, but "human life is of paramount importance", it said.

"If something affects the larger health of senior citizens and kids, then it should be looked into. There has to be a balance," the court said.

The HC was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by people who feed pigeons challenging the civic body's decision to ban such feeding and close kabutarkhanas.

Last month, the high court refused any interim relief to the petitioners, but asked the authorities to not demolish any heritage kabutarkhanas.

On Saturday, police registered a case against a man for feeding pigeons from a grain-filled tray kept on the roof of his car in Dadar area and also seized his vehicle.