Mumbai pigeon row: Jain monk on fast against Dadar Kabutarkhana closure; opposes civic body's relocation plan
MUMBAI: Jain monk Nileshchandra Vijay began an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan here on Monday, demanding the immediate reopening of the iconic Dadar Kabutarkhana , a traditional pigeon feeding site shut down by the civic body.
Speaking to reporters near the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters, the monk announced he had stopped drinking water upon starting his protest.
He framed his action as a democratic right, saying, "My protest is within the framework of the Constitution written by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, who has given the right to each individual to protest in a democratic way."
The BMC's action to close the pigeon enclosures in Dadar and other areas across the city stems primarily from grave public health and safety concerns, including respiratory illnesses .
The issue gained legal and legislative attention in July after an MLC raised concerns about residents near the Dadar Kabutarkhana suffering from respiratory ailments linked to the massive presence of birds and their droppings. Several residents supported the ban, citing the health risks.
The closure of the Kabutarkhana came up before the Bombay High Court in Aug, which ordered the state government to establish an expert committee to study the impact of pigeons and their droppings on human health in public places.
A court-mandated committee, comprising public health experts, pulmonologists, and officials from ICMR and AIIMS, is tasked with framing guidelines on the issue.
The protest by the Jain monk comes in response to the BMC's recent decision to permit controlled pigeon feeding only at four designated alternate locations —Worli Reservoir, a mangrove area in Andheri West, the Airoli-Mulund check post area, and Gorai ground in Borivli West, and the feeding is restricted to between 7am and 9am, with NGOs managing the sites.
Nileshchandra Vijay rejected these alternate sites, arguing they were too far from Dadar.
"The alternate sites given by the BMC are as far as 4, 5, and even 9 kilometres away. Will a pigeon fly so far? The administration should have given a site within 2 km of the existing Kabutarkhana," he said, and insisted on reopening Dadar kabutarkhana.
Speaking to reporters near the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters, the monk announced he had stopped drinking water upon starting his protest.
He framed his action as a democratic right, saying, "My protest is within the framework of the Constitution written by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, who has given the right to each individual to protest in a democratic way."
The BMC's action to close the pigeon enclosures in Dadar and other areas across the city stems primarily from grave public health and safety concerns, including respiratory illnesses .
The issue gained legal and legislative attention in July after an MLC raised concerns about residents near the Dadar Kabutarkhana suffering from respiratory ailments linked to the massive presence of birds and their droppings. Several residents supported the ban, citing the health risks.
The closure of the Kabutarkhana came up before the Bombay High Court in Aug, which ordered the state government to establish an expert committee to study the impact of pigeons and their droppings on human health in public places.
A court-mandated committee, comprising public health experts, pulmonologists, and officials from ICMR and AIIMS, is tasked with framing guidelines on the issue.
The protest by the Jain monk comes in response to the BMC's recent decision to permit controlled pigeon feeding only at four designated alternate locations —Worli Reservoir, a mangrove area in Andheri West, the Airoli-Mulund check post area, and Gorai ground in Borivli West, and the feeding is restricted to between 7am and 9am, with NGOs managing the sites.
Nileshchandra Vijay rejected these alternate sites, arguing they were too far from Dadar.
"The alternate sites given by the BMC are as far as 4, 5, and even 9 kilometres away. Will a pigeon fly so far? The administration should have given a site within 2 km of the existing Kabutarkhana," he said, and insisted on reopening Dadar kabutarkhana.
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