Mumbai Kabutarkhana Row: ACs, Humidifiers And Dust More Concerning Than Pigeon Droppings, PETA India Writes To CM Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: Pigeon feeding is a humane and necessary tradition of cultural and religious significance, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The animal welfare organisation also issued a factsheet dismissing the claims of health risks caused by pigeons and claimed that harmful substances may be found in air conditioners, humidifiers as well as contaminated food and not only bird droppings or feathers.

BMC Invites Suggestions Amid Kabutarkhana Debate

Amid the ongoing row of heated debates and demonstrations over feeding of pigeons at Mumbai’s iconic kabutar khanas, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has invited suggestions and objections from citizens on this issue.

On Wednesday, PETA India wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and welcomed his statement that “abruptly shutting shelters is not a solution” and a practical way forward on the issue of pigeon feeding is necessary. It also lauded his assurance that controlled feeding will continue under the supervision of BMC.

Scientific Evidence Shows Minimal Health Risks

The NGO also issued a factsheet claiming that six decades of scientific evidence confirms that the risk of disease transmission from pigeons to humans is very low. While it cited a German study which claims that homing pigeons can be a minor concern for human health, it also cited University of Edinburgh that claims that pigeons are unlikely to carry bird flu virus.

It also said that an RTI response from Mumbai’s three biggest civic-run hospitals shows that only 0.3% of respiratory illness cases in 2024 were linked to pigeon exposure.

Alternative Causes of Respiratory Illnesses Highlighted

PETA India claimed that medical literature on 'hypersensitivity pneumonitis' shows it can occur from repeatedly breathing in bacteria, mold, or chemicals in the environment, and harmful substances may be found in multiple sources like air conditioners, humidifiers, contaminated foods, metalwork fluids, hardwood dusts, hay or grain as well as hot tubs and not just bird droppings or feathers.

PETA Suggests Three-Step Plan for Controlled Feeding

PETA India suggested a three-step plan to satisfy public health concerns while maintaining tradition and bird welfare. It has urged to designate specific feeding hubs at existing kabutar khanas, clearly posting reasonable feeding hours, requiring only pigeon-friendly food and bans on littering, bread and plastic.

Secondly, it has requested that sanitation workers should perform regular wash-downs and sweeps of each site, and nutrient-rich droppings could be routed to municipal composting facilities, turning waste into valuable fertiliser at virtually no cost.

It also added that a multilingual public-education push can help citizens understand that the true risk of catching a disease from pigeons is virtually nil, thereby encouraging harmony between human and bird Mumbaikars.

Global Humane Population Control Models Proposed

It has also suggested that integrating a globally recognised humane population control method Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS) model, which has shown measurable success across European cities, can be integrated into the proposed plan.

Under this model, artificial nesting and roosting houses are constructed near designated feeding areas to attract pigeons away from sensitive sites and enable monitoring. It has also suggested egg removal by replacing them with dummy eggs to control pigeons’ population.

It has also recommended pigeon-proofing key public and private buildings through the use of non-lethal deterrents such as reflective bird repellent tape.

PETA Calls Pigeon Feeding Spiritually Significant

Atharva Deshmukh, campaigns coordinator at PETA India, said, “Pigeon feeding is a humane tradition of cultural and religious significance and potential health risks caused by pigeons are hugely overblown. Mumbai’s kabutar khanas are century-old and provide countless citizens the comfort and spiritual fulfilment from offering a handful of grain to these gentle birds each day. Moreover, pigeons that have been fed at kabutar khanas for generations will starve to death without their known, reliable food source.”

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PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk Backs Jains and Hindus

Last week, PETA’s founder president Ingrid Newkirk visited India and talked to The Free Press Journal where she expressed disappointment over the issue. On Friday, Newkirk said, “The British bought these birds when they invaded India for sports. They left them India but the Jains and the Hindus set up these feeding stations all over the country to make sure they didn’t starve to death. They are loyal, wonderful, harmless and now they are supposed to starve. We won’t let that happen. We will be in the courts and we will be supporting the Jains and the Hindus.”