Protesters remove tarpaulin from 'kabutarkhana' in Mumbai; minister condemns act
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Mumbai (PTI): Protesters on Wednesday removed the tarpaulin put up by the municipal corporation to cover the kabutarkhana (pigeon feeding station) at Dadar in Mumbai, after the Bombay High Court ordered closure of such facilities.
Irate protesters, mostly from the Jain community, clashed with police, who tried to stop them from removing the cover, put up by the civic body.
Mumbai suburban district guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who later visited the spot, condemned the incident and said the police will take appropriate action in the matter.
He also appealed to the people to maintain peace and said the management of trust of a Jain temple located in the area claimed they had no role in the protest.
The HC recently ordered the closure of Mumbai's kabutarkhanas over health concerns like respiratory issues from pigeon droppings.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a meeting on Tuesday with Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, ministers Ganesh Naik, Girish Mahajan and Mangal Prabhat Lodha.
The meeting discussed regulated feeding to prevent pigeon deaths while ensuring public health through precautions and mechanised droppings' cleanup.
Fadnavis directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to continue controlled feeding with organisational support until alternatives are established.
The Jain community, for whom feeding pigeons is a sacred tradition, have fiercely opposed the closure, with demonstrations in Mumbai highlighting the cultural significance and the distress of pigeons dying on streets.
After the police dispersed protesters, Lodha visited the spot and reviewed the situation. He also spoke to the management of a Jain temple located opposite the kabutarkhana.
Speaking to media persons on the issue, Lodha said whatever happened at the kabutarkhana earlier in the morning was "wrong" and "condemnable".
Asked about action against the protesters, he said, "Police will take a right decision on this."
Lodha said when he spoke to the management of the Jain temple trust, they denied participating in the protest and claimed some outsiders had a role in it.
On Tuesday, the chief minister listened to everyone (during the meeting with ministers) and gave a directive so that people's health should not be under threat and pigeons should also not die, he said.
The BMC was given directives about cleanliness and everything, Lodha said.
"Tomorrow, a report will be submitted in the high court on the issue," he added.
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Wildfires race across Chile, leaving 15 dead, forcing thousands to flee
Penco (Chile) (AP): Wildfires raging across central and southern Chile on Sunday left at least 15 people dead, scorched thousands of acres of forest and destroyed scores of homes, authorities said, as the South American country swelters under a heat wave.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in the country's central Biobio region and the neighbouring Nuble region, around 500 kilometres south of Santiago, the capital.
The emergency designation allows greater coordination with the military to rein in two dozen wildfires that have so far blazed through 8,500 hectares and prompted 50,000 people to evacuate, according to Chilean Security Minister Luis Cordero.
“All resources are available,” Boric wrote on X.
But local officials reported that for hours on Sunday, destruction was everywhere and help from the federal government was nowhere.
“Dear President Boric, from the bottom of my heart, I have been here for four hours, a community is burning and there is no (government) presence,” said Rodrigo Vera, the mayor of the small coastal town of Penco in the Biobio region. “How can a minister do nothing but call me to tell me that the military is going to arrive at some point?”
Firefighters were struggling to extinguish the flames, but strong winds and scorching weather hampered their efforts Sunday with temperatures topping 38 C (100 F).
Residents said that the fires took them by surprise after midnight, trapping them in their homes.
“Many people didn't evacuate. They stayed in their houses because they thought the fire would stop at the edge of the forest,” said John Guzman, 55, surveying the scene in Penco, where smoke blanketed the sky in an orange haze. “It was completely out of control. No one expected it."
Although the total number of homes burned nationwide remained unclear, one municipality of Concepcion in Biobio reported 253 homes destroyed.
“We fled running, with the kids, in the dark,” said Juan Lagos, 52, also in Penco. The fire engulfed most of the city, burning cars, a school and a church.
Charred bodies were found across fields, homes, along roads and in cars.
“From what we can see, there are people who died ... and we knew them well," said Víctor Burboa, 54. "Everyone here knew them.”
