Mumbai – A Lalbaug resident, Mahendra Sanklecha, was booked on Saturday for allegedly creating a public nuisance by feeding pigeons from a grain-filled tray placed on the roof of his car in Dadar. Police also seized his vehicle.
According to Shivaji Park police, Sanklecha was charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for public nuisance, disobedience of lawful orders, and negligent acts likely to spread diseases dangerous to life. He has been issued a notice.
The incident comes amid the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) recent ban on public pigeon feeding and the closure of ‘kabutarkhanas’ over health concerns, citing the risk of respiratory diseases like hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings.
The civic decision has triggered controversy, with pigeon feeders challenging the order in the Bombay High Court. On Thursday, the court clarified it had not ordered closure of kabutarkhanas but had only declined to stay the BMC’s order.
The bench also observed that while a committee of experts could assess whether older kabutarkhanas should remain, “human life is of paramount importance.”
This case marks one of the first high-profile enforcement actions since the ban, highlighting the growing tension between public health concerns and long-held cultural practices in Mumbai.