Amid the growing debate around respiratory illnesses caused by pigeons, and the Dadar kabutarkhana coming under fire for public feeding, residents of Shivaji Park have urged the BMC to pay attention to a different culprit: red soil pollution, causing a surge in respiratory ailments in their area.

The Shivaji Park Advanced Locality Management (ALM) on Tuesday once again complained to the G North ward about the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) failure to remove red soil from the Shivaji Park grounds. Residents stated they had submitted doctors’ certificates to the BMC, citing an increase in respiratory illnesses among locals due to the dust raised from the park’s red soil.

A thick layer of red soil covers statues around Shivaji Park as dust troubles residents in this picture taken on January 28 this year. File pic/Ashish Raje