India, July 4 -- Mumbai's pigeons landed in the legislative council of Maharashtra -figuratively, of course - as members debated how to deal with 'kabootar khanas' and feeding points for the birds, widely dubbed now as "rats of the avian world" for being disease carriers.

Points made ranged from the macabre to the bizarre.

One member spoke of a spot where pigeons were "being fed pizza and burger"; another spoke of a death in her family due to a lung disease linked with pigeons. The state government has thus directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take strict action against unauthorised kabootar khanas across the city, HT has reported.

The issue came up on council floor on Thursday when Shiv Sena (UBT) member Manisha Ka...