Civic bodies and government agencies passing the buck on pigeon population control is telling of the dysfunction within government that often drops the ball on public health. As HT has reported, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and government departments such as veterinary and sanitation, have been passing the buck on whose responsibility it is to moderate the population of the birds. The letter of existing laws may not be explicit about who is in charge, but the need to reduce the pigeon population couldn’t be clearer — the birds are often called “flying rats”, not just because of their rodent-like tenacity and adaptability to surviving alongside humans but also because of their potential as vectors of deadly diseases.
To be sure, from Amsterdam to Zurich, cityscapes feature expansive squares, terraces and traffic islands with winged residents — always a pigeon monopoly — flocking in the hundreds. In the Indian context, faith complicates matters — certain communities view feeding animals and birds as a quasi-religious duty. But outweighing all this is the public health concern from pigeon down and droppings, which are reservoirs of dangerous pathogens that cause diseases such as salmonellosis, typhoid, and histoplasmosis. Thus, there is an urgent need to control the pigeon population in the national capital though humans have made it easier for the pest to thrive. Grains are sold at flocking points, making food easily available, which tampers with a key natural control on population. In parallel, expanding construction has shrunk tree cover, which is driving out other competing bird species. Delhi needs to take a cue from Mumbai, where a controversial court-ordered ban on feeding outside designated areas is in place.