NDMC Tightens Rules Against Pigeon Feeding
- NDMC has tightened measures against pigeon feeding across New Delhi, informing the NGT about enforcement actions. - Authorities said the move aims to curb bird-related nuisance and maintain cleanliness in civic areas, the report states. - The policy could spark debate between animal welfare advocates and municipal authorities over humane alternatives (hindustantimes.com).
New Delhi’s civic council told the National Green Tribunal it has stepped up action against people feeding pigeons in public spaces. (hindustantimes.com) The New Delhi Municipal Council, or NDMC, said it has issued 76 challans since January 2026 and is running regular cleaning drives at known feeding points in its area. (hindustantimes.com) NDMC said it does not have a specific rule that names pigeon feeding as an offense, so the challans are being issued for creating unsanitary conditions during the feeding process. (hindustantimes.com) The case is before the National Green Tribunal after a 2025 plea said pigeon feeding on pavements, footpaths, and traffic islands was leaving droppings in public areas and creating health and environmental risks. (devdiscourse.com) That plea named the Delhi government, the Public Works Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and NDMC, and said dried droppings can mix with dust when swept from feeding spots. (devdiscourse.com) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been moving in the same direction outside NDMC’s zone. In February 2026, it issued 20 challans in central and Najafgarh areas and ordered an immediate halt to pigeon feeding at several public locations. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Last August, MCD officials also said the corporation planned an advisory asking residents not to feed pigeons in public places because of health concerns linked to droppings. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) The enforcement push lands in a city where feeding pigeons is a visible daily practice at markets, roundabouts, and shrines, and where civic bodies are now treating the fallout as a sanitation issue rather than a wildlife issue. (hindustantimes.com; devdiscourse.com) For now, NDMC’s message to the tribunal is narrow: fewer feeding spots, more challans, and more cleanup in the capital’s core municipal zone. (hindustantimes.com)
