Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday advocated finding the middle ground to resolve the row over feeding of pigeons at public places, taking into account health concerns and religious sentiments of people.
Talking to reporters here, he said some people are trying to politicise the pigeon feeding issue, which is being heard in the Bombay High Court, but they will not succeed in their efforts.
The CM suggested creating designated pigeon feeding places where there are no human settlements.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has shut down kabutarkhanas (pigeon feeding spots), including a popular site in Dadar, citing health hazards associated with the practice. The decision has led to legal challenges in the high court and protests by a section of people.
Asked about the closure of the Dadar Kabutarkhana, Fadnavis said, "Two things are clear -- people's health is important and it should be protected. There are some issues related to faith as well. We can take care of both and find a way. We can create feeding places where there is no human residence. Controlled feeding was also an option. There are different ways of finding solutions to the issue." He noted the matter was not about conflict but about society at large, and assured both health concerns and religious sentiments would be taken into account.
"Some people are trying to politicise this issue. Mumbai residents will not fall prey to it," the CM maintained.
The pigeon feeding issue has drawn political attention recently, with the opposition Congress accusing the government of deliberately raising it to divert people's attention from important matters.
Earlier in the day, the BMC told the HC it intends to allow controlled feeding of pigeons for two hours each morning at the Dadar Kabutarkhana subject to conditions.
A bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Arif Doctor, however, stated that before granting any such permission, the municipal corporation has to first issue a public notice inviting objections and then take a decision on allowing controlled feeding of the birds at the popular site in Dadar.
Since the BMC's decision to close kabutarkhanas in the city and prohibit feeding of pigeons was in larger interest of public health, the sanctity of the same has to be maintained, the court noted, while hearing a bunch of petitions.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
