Cites respiratory problems among residents, reigniting debate between officials, bird lovers.Harmless, resilient cohabitants or carriers of disease? The Raj Thackeray-led MNS has reopened the debate on how we should view growing number of pigeons in our neighbourhoods by demanding permanent closure of the iconic Dadar Kabutarkhana and a crackdown on illegal feeding centres across Mumbai.In a letter to BMC chief Ajoy Mehta, the party has said several Dadar residents, especially children and the elderly, had developed respiratory problems because of pigeons. Bird droppings and feathers had covered windowsills in many buildings, testing housing societies’ commitment to cleanliness and disease control.“Many residents have complained to us that they are suffering from breathing problems and asthma due to pigeon feathers. The BMC has failed to take any action against the menace of pigeons in the city. We therefore request you to shut down the Kabutarkhana at Dadar,” Sandip Deshpande, MNS functionary from Dadar, has said in the letter.The Kabutarkhana, a Grade II heritage structure, was built as a water fountain in 1933. Many residents later started feeding pigeons there, and the spot now lends its name to the locality outside Dadar railway station.While there was no immediate comment by the civic body on the MNS’s demand, the BJP said it would oppose any attempt to shut down kabutarkhanas in the city.“We don’t agree with the MNS at all. Kabutarkhanas are part of the city’s history and heritage. It’s also a question of religious sentiments as some communities feed pigeons,” said BJP legislator Raj Purohit. “Cities like London also have a trend of feeding pigeons.”Citizens Mirror spoke to were divided over the issue. Many said pigeons were hardy and humble creatures in a concrete city, and feeding or caring for them at designated spots was a humane thing to do. But several others view the birds, often called “rats with wings”, as a major nuisance affecting housing colonies, apartment and office towers, and even some of the city’s architectural gems. They described how they spent a huge sum to install nets on windows and to hire professional cleaners for clearing the mess left behind by the birds.Mirror had published a special report, ‘Pigeon Hell’, in 2014 on the growing pigeon population and the city’s love-hate relationship with these birds.Pigeons and their droppings have been linked to various diseases. Spores from dried-out droppings can cause respiratory complications and flu-like illnesses, according to some studies. In 2011, a Canadian woman contracted cryptococcal meningitis, a fungal disease carried in the faeces of pigeons. In April this year, an Australian newspaper reported that pigeons were one of the most likely sources of a fungus that causes very rare forms of cryptococcal meningitis.Doctors in Mumbai sometimes advise people who have asthma or bronchitis to stay away from places where there are too many birds.In 2013, Makrand Narvekar, who was a citizen corporator then, moved a proposal to close all kaburtarkhanas in the city, citing health concerns. According to BMC officials, there are provisions in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act to stop public feeding of animals and they could be used to prevent people from giving food to pigeons.“Pigeons have become a nuisance. People who love birds must keep them inside their homes. Why should other residents suffer?” MNS’s Deshpande said.Political observers believe the MNS has moved the proposal as part of its strategy to attack the Jain and Gujarati communities, whose members consider feeding pigeons a religious duty. Last month, the party had warned developers against creating vegetarians-only housing societies, which are preferred by the two communities.Bird lovers said shutting down bird feeding spots would amount to animal cruelty. The step would also take away a key feature of Mumbai and its history.“This is nothing but a publicity stunt by the MNS. If they claim that pigeons cause breathing problems they should back this claim with some kind of scientific study. They haven’t conducted any study,” said Sunish Kunju of the animal welfare and rescue group PAWS.“They want to create controversy by targeting pigeons. This is unfortunate and animal activists will oppose the MNS.”There is no official estimate on the numbers of pigeons in Mumbai. Last month, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) initiated a pigeon count, saying an exponential rise in their numbers has possibly led to more diseases.“Kabutarkhanas have been established in a number of places… People feed pigeons for a variety of reasons, including cultural and religious. There is a growing concern over rapid increase in the population of rock pigeons which might directly affect people living nearby,” reads a statement by the BNHS.“There have been discussions about diseases being spread due to pigeons but sufficient data is not available for further analysis.”----------------------------------------------------------------------STEPS IN THE WESTTrafalgar Square in London was once famous for its feral pigeons and feeding them was a popular activity among visitors. Droppings damaged the stonework and in 2001, sale of bird feed was stopped and steps were taken to reduce number of pigeons there.In 2008, Venice introduced fines for sale of grain to feed birds at St Mark’s Square. Pigeons were eating away at marble statues by pecking at small gaps to reach for food. Communities in New York and Los Angeles have also tried to control the pigeon population, but faced opposition.