Feeding of pigeons causing nuisance, posing health risk to people, says HC; allows FIR filing
Mumbai, Jul 30 (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said feeding of a congregation of pigeons was an act causing a public nuisance and also posed a health hazard to people, and directed the Mumbai civic body to file FIRs against persons engaging in such an activity.
A bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Arif Doctor, while hearing a petition filed by a group of animal enthusiasts, noted the issue at hand is one of public health and the grave and potential health hazard to people of all ages at large.
The court had earlier this month restrained the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from demolishing any of the old heritage 'kabutarkhanas' (pigeon feeding spots) in the metropolis, but had said it cannot permit feeding of these birds.
Despite the denial of permission, it has been found people continue to feed pigeons at these 'kabutarkhanas', the court noted on Wednesday.
"This is now compounded with an emerging situation of utter disregard for law, by those who defiantly continue to feed pigeons in the teeth of our earlier order rejecting pleas supporting any such feeding and congregation of pigeons and now obstruction to civic officials from discharging their duties in this regard," the bench observed.
The HC then asked the BMC to penalise those feeding pigeons in defiance of its directives.
"We accordingly permit the municipal corporation to lodge prosecutions against any person/s who continues to feed pigeons in defiance of the directives issued by the MCGM (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) since such acts would, in our unhesitating view, constitute a public nuisance and likely to spread diseases and endanger human life," the HC said noted.
"Such acts undoubtedly expose people at large and particularly those who dwell or occupy property in the vicinity (of pigeon feeding spots) to an eminent danger from the spread of infections/diseases dangerous to human life, in addition to causing a large scale public nuisance," it insisted.
The municipal corporation shall take all necessary steps and implement strict measures as they may deem appropriate to stop the congregation of pigeons at the various 'kabutarkhanas' across the metropolis, the bench maintained.
The court noted that the major concern today is again of the most vital aspect -- namely the safety and predominance of human health from the menace created by the congregation of pigeons in the kabutarkhanas in question.
The HC was hearing the petition by animal lovers Pallavi Patil, Sneha Visaria, and Savita Mahajan, who claimed the BMC began demolishing 'kabutarkhanas' from July 3 without legal backing.
They argued the BMC's act violated the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
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Karnataka School Edu Dept prohibits children from being made to dance to obscene songs
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka School Education Department has issued a circular strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs in educational and cultural programmes.
It stated that such dances would negatively impact students' mental health and moral values. It will create indiscipline and harm the sanctity of education.
"All the Deputy Directors (Administration) of the state's School Education Department have been asked to take strict measures to prevent children or students from dancing to obscene songs in all government, aided and unaided schools in the state," the office of the commissioner of the School Education Department said in a recent circular.
"If it is found that children are being made to dance to obscene songs, appropriate action will be taken against the headmaster or management of such school," it added.
The department also listed certain measures in this regard, which include: strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes; selecting songs that are inspiring, positive, instilling national pride in children and reflecting the greatness, dignity, values, culture, and morality of the state.
Stating that the school headmaster and management are responsible for selecting songs and dances for cultural programmes, it said, they should also ensure that students wear decent clothes in dance or cultural programmes.
