Protests force Rajasthan govt to backtrack falcon-pigeon issue

Jaipur, Apr 27 (UNI) The Rajasthan government has said it will keep its options open on the controversial decision to use falcons to shoo away pigeons from Albert Hall.

Archaeological and Museum director B L Gupta said the state government is equally concerned about the pigeons and would take any decision only after consultation with experts and in the best interests of both pigeons and the Museum.

Environmental activist Maneka Gandhi's intervention also seems to have worked with Vasundhara Raje government's 'go slow' on the matter. Mr Gupta also said the Albert Hall Museum is an important historical and architectural landmark of the state capital and lends identity to the city. Although the state government is committed to conserve this heritcal relic, it won't do anything to harm thousands of pigeons which have become a part and parcel of the Museum and the Ram Niwas Bagh.

Mr Gupta said the Museum's priceless wall paintings and other articles are being sullied and defaced by pigeon droppings for the past so many years. Pigeons have become a permanent fixture at the museum with nests in every nook and corner.

He said the plan to make pigeons vacate the Museum has been under consideration for a long time.

A proposal to scare away pigeons with the help of falcons has been pending with the department for quite a while, Mr Gupta clarified adding the government has not taken any decision in this regard. He said using falcons to scare pigeons was only a demonstration before the Chief Minister and nothing else.

Meanwhile, bird lovers are enraged that innocent pigeons, feeding whom is considered a religious belief in the city, will have to vacate the Musuem.

Experts say pigeons are a major attraction in Ram Niwas Bagh in this tourist city. Not only tourists but people of Jaipur consider it ominous to feed the pigeons and come here daily.

Moreover, when pigeons are major attractions abroad, why can't pigeons be a part of Jaipur city.

UNI