Bird lovers faced with a barrier to pigeon feeding

Bird lovers faced with a barrier to pigeon feeding
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Several morning walkers of Cubbon Park and bird lovers are facing a peculiar problem. They cannot feed pigeons in the mornings which they have been doing for many years due to entry restrictions to the high court court premises.


About 50 people regularly feed the pigeons that flock on the lawns in front of the HC building every morning. Most of them bring several kgs of grains in gunny bags. But now gates and grills have been installed around the HC premises and naturally the entry is barred.

City businessmen Kiran Kothari and Anil Jain are among the morning walkers who visit Cubbon Park. They feed wheat grains daily to the pigeons. They said: “We used to feed the birds every morning on the lawns near the main gate of HC. We regard feeding pigeons a sacred deed, as they are purely vegetarian birds. But, ever since the Court’s security is tightened, feeding has been affected. We are concerned because, the number of birds visiting this area in the morning is gradually decreasing.”

They said though security gates were installed months ago, police personnel on duty there were allowing the pigeon feeders to enter for spreading the grains. “But, since 15 to 20 days, constables are refusing to let us in, citing orders from the HC administration. Sometimes, constables take the bags and spread the grains for us. But, they too feel fed up and avoid us, as it is not just one or two who come to feed the birds,” said Kiran Kothari.
Sanjay, Secretary of Karnataka Kabutar Seva Samithi who also feeds the pigeons, said the people just want entry for restricted time - 6 to 8:30 pm so that the birds can be fed.

ACP M K Murali, in-charge of HC security, said, the cops were just doing their duty of preventing entry of any persons unrelated to court work from entering the premises. “We are not supposed to let in any people, unnecessarily, as was allowed earlier - that too before 9 am in the morning, during non-working hours of the court. Moreover, this is not the only place where people can feed the
pigeons.”