Pigeons invade Mahim, locals fret & fume

Residents of LJ Road in Mahim, are up in arms against a shopkeeper who feeds pigeons near a bus stop, on the main road opposite St Michael’s Church. They allege that this has caused the residents respiratory problems and some of them have even slipped and fallen on the strewn grains and pigeon droppings.

A complaint has been filed at the G/North ward office of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and two subsequent reminders were also submitted on February 15 and March 4, 2013.
The area has been a zero-garbage street for almost a decade, said an activist. But the pigeon problem is taking a toll on the residents who live opposite the church.

Mohammed Shahid, who has lived in the area for 60 years, told DNA, “We have no problem with the shopkeeper feeding pigeons but our children are developing asthma. My sister-in-law Tahira Ansari slipped on the grains and fractured her hand when she was walking towards the bus stop near the spot.”

Shahid explained that the feeding spot, which is right next to the bus stop, can’t be avoided by commuters. “Plus, it’s the main road where there’s a lot of traffic and also a school on the other side of the street. Walking through this patch is inevitable,” he lamented.

“There are pigeon droppings everywhere and sometimes they fall on people’s heads while they are waiting at the bus stop. If children fall, they can get up, but if the elderly fall, they get hurt very badly,” he added.

An activist claimed that due to the practice of feeding the pigeons, some of them don’t get the regular exercise they need in foraging for food.

“Every day, two or three pigeons are found dead near the bus stop. A police complaint has also been made at the Mahim police station and they said they will resolve the problem in 15 days. Ten days have already passed.”