Pigeons may pose health risk, dont feed them: Civic body

Residents have been asked by the civic authorities here to not feed pigeons in large numbers as they may cause respiratory diseases among the people and deface heritage buildings with the bird droppings.

This appeal was made by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

These pigeons may increase the high risk of respiratory diseases, particularly in children and the elderly people. We urge the public to not feed the pigeons, especially at the markets and shops selling foodstuff,'' a GHMC press release said on Friday.

The Corporation has already imposed a ban on the feeding of pigeons in all horticultural parks across the city.

Officials of the veterinary department of GHMC seized some quantities of sorghum, a cereal,being sold for feeding the pigeons in the Mojamzahi market, it said.

The GHMC has launched a beautification programme of some of the heritage buildings at Mozamjahi Market which were defaced by the bird droppings, it said.

As part of the programme, about 500 Blackjack pigeons were caught using nets and translocated in the Srisailam forests.

The city civic body has taken up a Rs 10-crore restoration work to restore the past glory of Mozamjahi Market and about 70 per cent of the works have been completed.