Govt moves to end Kabutarkhana row

Though Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis now says the “abrupt” closure of pigeon feeding sites in Mumbai was not advisable and the BMC should ensure controlled feeding of the birds, his own government ordered shutting down of such spots a month ago.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

The state government ordered a crackdown on ‘kabutarkhanas’ weeks before the Bombay High Court, ina ruling July 30, said feeding a congregation of pigeons was an act causing a public nuisance and posed a health hazard to people, and directed the Mumbai civic body to file FIRs against persons engaging in such an activity.

‘As the ban on feeding pigeons at public and heritage spots snowballed into a major controversy, Fadnavis sought to take amore cautious and measured approach to avoid the matter ruffling more feathers ahead of the Mumbai civic body polls.