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Raje has a change of mind after public outcry

Special Correspondent

Public parks and gardens to have pigeon-houses

JAIPUR: Bowing to pressure from environmental groups, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday announced establishment of pigeon-houses in public parks and gardens across the State with the arrangement to serve birds with feed.

The pigeon-house at Ram Niwas Garden in Jaipur, where the historic Albert Hall Museum is situated, will protect hundreds of pigeons threatened with extinction following the State Government's controversial move to use falcons to attack them. The Government has since backtracked on the decision.

A delegation of People for Animals -- which registered a strong protest against the proposed use of falcons -- met Ms. Raje in Ajmer on Tuesday and requested her to allocate a "safe haven'' in each public park where pigeons and other birds could relax and get feed and water.

The State convenor of People for Animals, Babulal Jaju, pointed out that the Urban Improvement Trust in Bhilwara had recently launched a "Jeev Daya'' campaign to feed birds with grains and provide them with water in public parks. He said a similar drive all over the State would help protect the winged guests in gardens and shield them against the sweltering heat.

Ms. Raje -- who had earlier approved of the plan to use birds of prey to shoo away pigeons -- agreed to the suggestion and issued instructions for opening pigeon-houses in all parks, including Ram Niwas Garden. Upon this, the People for Animals presented her with a memento on environment and wildlife conservation.

Bird lovers took exception to the proposed move and flouted the Archaeology and Museum Department's orders disallowing feeding of pigeons in the vicinity of Albert Hall.

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