Mumbai, Sept. 15 -- Mumbai suburban co-guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Sunday inaugurated a pigeon feeding spot at Teen Murti, Podanpur on the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The spot is located inside the SGNP, Lodha claimed, but forest officials said it was located outside the boundary of the national park. A row over pigeon-feeding spots or kabutarkhanas erupted after the state government on July 4 directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to shut down all 51 kabutarkhanas in the city over health concerns. The issue was raised in the legislative council on July 3 by Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande, who claimed that the birds' feathers and droppings caused respiratory problems. On July 31, the civic body received a direction from the Bombay High Court to file cases against people feeding pigeons, saying it caused public nuisance and posed a health hazard. Thereafter, action was taken against 142 people for feeding pigeons at kabutarkhanas across Mumbai and a fine of Rs.68,700 was recovered from them over 20 days. The kabutarkhana in Dadar too was draped in plastic sheets, which a 1,000-strong group, purportedly from the Jain community, tore apart and poured sacks of chana for the pigeons. Jain priests claimed the closure of kabutarkhanas would deprive pigeons of food and water, and threatened to launch fresh protests if the government failed to find a solution. Several BJP leaders then promised to set up a kabutarkhana - either in the Aarey forest or the SGNP, while environmentalists opposed the move, saying feeding pigeons inside the national park would damage wildlife. The dairy development department owns the land in Aarey while non-forestry activities are barred inside the SGNP. On Sunday, while speaking at the inauguration of the new kabutarkhana constructed by the Adinath Digambar Jain Temple at Teen Murti, Lodha said a middle path must be chosen to ensure pigeons receive food and water while citizens are not exposed to health risks. Pigeon feeding spots should be set up in forested areas, away from human settlements, he said. Lodha claimed that pigeon-feeding was widely practised in London and New York and called for setting up a new kabutarkhana in every ward of Mumbai. Kabutarkhanas could be set up in BKC, along the Coastal Road and inside the Aarey Colony, he said....