'Pigeons Are Being Targeted Without Scientific Basis,' Says Activist Sneha Visaria As BMC Cracks Down On Mumbai's Kabutar Khanas

A battle royale is currently ongoing in Mumbai between pigeon feeders and those opposed to them. The Maharashtra government, which is besieged with major problems, suddenly decided to train its guns on poor pigeons and their kabutar khanas.

A few months ago, staff of the HWest office of the BMC descended on a kabutar khana, which has been around for decades, in front of Khar railway station on the west side and demolished it. Pigeon feeders were stunned by this sudden action. Later, the BMC started targeting kabutar khanas at Gowalia Tank, Navjeevan Society (Grant Road), Chowpatty and other areas.

As a result, thousands of pigeons have been deprived of food and water, and many of them have died of starvation. In this context, S Balakrishnan spoke to Sneha Visaria, 42, an activist who is one of the three petitioners who has moved the Bombay high court in defence of the hapless pigeons.

Excerpts from an interview:

What prompted you to move the HC?

I was moved by the pathetic plight of thousands of pigeons who are starving because, overnight, they have been deprived of food. For decades, they have been used to getting fed at the kabutar khanas, and suddenly they find that these places are shut. They have no other source of food. The BMC and police are coming heavily on bird feeders and treating them like criminals. I could not bear to see so many innocent birds suffering. I was moved by their plight, and hence I decided to move the HC against the high-handed action of the authorities.

How come suddenly the state government and the BMC decided to target the pigeons?

A few months ago, a pulmonologist posted a video claiming that the feathers and droppings of pigeons resulted in lung infection in human beings (hypersensitive pulmonary pneumonitis) and even caused death. His claim was not backed by any research or statistical study. But this video went viral and created a scare in the minds of Mumbaikars. Overnight the harmless pigeons were called ‘flying rats’ and looked upon as enemies of the people. Nobody questioned this doctor. Nobody asked him on what basis he was making these claims. We are going to trace him and ask him the basis of his claims. Some politicians too fell victim to his false narrative. Chitra Wagh of the BJP raised the issue in the state legislature, and Minister Uday Samant assured her that action would be taken against the kabutar khanas.

Did you not make representations to the BMC and ask why this campaign against pigeons?

We did ask a senior BMC official for the rank of additional commissioner, but she had no answers to our questions. She said the pigeons can be gotten rid of by depriving them of food and water. She said the fittest will survive. She had no answer when we asked for the scientific basis for her hatred towards pigeons. She had none. Narendra Mehta, a trustee of Dadar Kabutar Khana, sought information from the BMC’s Nair Hospital through an RTI application. The hospital replied that last year, 24,891 persons were treated in its OPD for chest medicine. Out of that, the number of persons suffering from hypersensitive pulmonary pneumonia was eight, and in only two cases the cause was pigeons, and in both cases there was no mortality. We are gathering information from other hospitals as well, and we are certain that the situation will be the same everywhere.

How can the BMC demolish the kabur khanas without any definitive study?

We have raised the same question in the HC. Most unfortunately, the court too appears to be inclined towards the BMC and that is why it has called for a ban on feeding, imposition of fines and even FIR followed by arrest. If anything, infection is caused by poultry shops and trucks in which hundreds of chickens are cooped under the most congested and dirty conditions. But pigeons are fed in the open, and there is hardly any chance of them spreading infection. The matter is still pending before the HC, and the next date is August 7. Other petitioners and I are still hopeful of getting justice.