The state government on Friday told the Legislative Council that kabutarkhanas at various locations in Mumbai like Gateway of India, GPO, August Kranti Maidan, Girgaon Chowpatty and Dadar don’t have protection as they lack heritage status, and the BMC’s Development Plan (DP) 2034 also does not have any reservation for them.
MUMBAI: The state government on Friday told the Legislative Council that kabutarkhanas at various locations in Mumbai like Gateway of India, GPO, August Kranti Maidan, Girgaon Chowpatty and Dadar don’t have protection as they lack heritage status, and the BMC’s Development Plan (DP) 2034 also does not have any reservation for them.
The state government said that the BMC had collected Rs 10,000 in fine from people for feeding pigeons in the last three months and that a study done by the KEM Hospital had shown that pigeon droppings and feathers have fungal spores that can cause extrinsic allergic alveolitis.
The state government said that there are around nine prominent kabutarkhanas in Mumbai and none of these has a heritage status nor can they be given such a status. The government said that the BMC takes action against those feeding pigeons as a matter of routine.
Replying to a calling attention motion moved by MLCs Uma Khapre and Ramesh Patil, minister Uday Samant said, “Due to this, people can get extrinsic allergic alveolitis. The symptoms of this disease can be cough, shortness of breath or decrease in oxygen levels.
According to BMC’s Sanitation and Health Bye-laws, 2006, feeding of birds or animals in an undeclared area is punishable by a fine of Rs 500 per incident under the public nuisance section,” Samant said. He added that in some locations, the structures around the kabutarkhanas or the structures housing them are listed heritage structures.
“Kabutarkhanas have been established in a number of places to feed pigeons regularly which attract a large congregation of pigeons. There is a growing concern over rapid increase in the population of rock pigeons which may directly affect people living nearby,” said a senior official.
Source: The Times of India