Pune Campaign Highlights Health Risks of Feeding Pigeons, Calls for Public Awareness

Pune, 18th December 2024: Recently in Pune, awareness about pigeons and the diseases they can transmit has been spreading widely. In line with this, the Erandwane Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal organised an awareness campaign today near the Ashtabhuja Durga Mandir in Narayan Peth.

The members of the Mandal joined hands and appealed to the public to refrain from feeding pigeons. Many people feed grains and food to pigeons, which can harm the environment. Even the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made various efforts to raise awareness about this issue.

The social awareness program was attended by Kishori Kachare, Himali Sadekar, Bharti Ghare, Suresh Nimbalkar, Raju Motiwale, Ashish Velankar, Dhananjay Nemade, Satish Khaire, Ganesh Dhotre, and others.

Feeding pigeons can result in their overpopulation, creating dependency on human-provided food and disrupting their natural foraging habits. Pigeons are known carriers of diseases such as histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis, which pose serious health risks to humans. Their acidic droppings damage buildings, monuments, and vehicles and contaminate water sources. Large flocks of pigeons also attract pests like rats and insects, exacerbating sanitation issues. Overcrowding among pigeons can disrupt ecosystems, encourage aggressive behaviour, and increase human-pigeon conflicts in urban areas.

Additionally, some individuals have raised concerns about pigeons disrupting rituals like the Dashkriya Vidhi performed after a person died in Hindu traditions. In this ritual, food is offered to crows as part of the belief in the soul’s departure. However, this tradition is often disrupted when pigeons consume the food before the crows.

Mandal president Prasad Velankar stated, “The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Health Department should immediately install warning signs at three locations where pigeons are commonly found along the riverbed, cautioning against feeding them and highlighting potential punitive actions.”