The Maharashtra government has told the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to immediately close all ‘kabootar khanas’ (places where people feed pigeons) in Mumbai. The reason is that pigeon droppings are causing health problems.

Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande raised this issue in the Maharashtra legislative council on Thursday. She said these feeding spots are dangerous for people living nearby because the waste and feathers can cause breathing problems. BJP leader Chitra Wagh also supported this and said her aunt died from a breathing disease caused by pigeon droppings.

Minister Uday Samant, speaking for Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said there are 51 ‘kabootar khanas’ (pigeon feeding spots) in Mumbai. He said the BMC will be told to run an awareness campaign against feeding pigeons within a month. They will also start closing these ‘kabootar khanas’ right away.

Samant said people need to understand the health dangers of feeding pigeons. He also mentioned that at Girgaum Chowpatty, some pigeons even eat leftover pizza and burgers. He shared that the famous Dadar ‘kabootar khana’ was closed for two days, but it reopened because people continued to feed the birds.

In a written reply, Eknath Shinde said that illegal ‘kabootar khanas’ in Santacruz East and West have already been shut. In their place, the BMC has created a traffic island and Miyawaki gardens.