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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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
