Pasir Ris resident tethers pigeons to her 5th storey window

For years now, some residents at a Pasir Ris HDB block have not been able to hang their laundry outside their windows to dry.

Pigeons have been plaguing a column of units in Block 628, Pasir Ris Drive 3.

A resident who has been living on the fifth storey of the block for over 20 years has a habit of feeding pigeons from her window.

Often, the resident, who is known to her neighbours as Ms Tan and who is in her 40s, also tethers the birds by their legs to her kitchen window.

Madam Goh, a 44-year-old teacher who lives next to Ms Tan, told The New Paper: "When we bought this unit five years ago, they were already here. We thought it was a normal pigeon nuisance. But she's the one who's always feeding the pigeons and that's why they stayed.

"We have to put a netting just to prevent the pigeons and their feathers from coming in. We put it up around three years ago, because the birds came into our kitchen and ate our food."

Another resident who has lived in the block for more than 20 years and who declined to be named, said that she could see the legs of the pigeons attached to strings whenever they flew up to her flat.

She complained about the pigeons' faeces and the smell.

An elderly woman living below Ms Tan's flat, who also declined to be named, said: "Our windows are not the sliding type, so the birds are always standing on top of the windows when I open it.

"Sometimes, when the windows are just cleaned, the birds' droppings dirty them."

Some residents have tried speaking to Ms Tan, but the situation has not improved.

TOWN COUNCIL SAYS

A Town Council spokesman said: "All the relevant agencies are aware of the pigeon nuisance, which is caused by one of the residents feeding them by throwing out food from windows. We have conducted joint-visits to advise the suspected resident.

"On many occasions, we have also carried out ground treatment (culling of pigeons) in order to reduce the pigeon population.

"As it requires multi-agencies to work together to resolve the issue, we will continue to work with the various agencies concerned."

When TNP visited Ms Tan's flat on Monday, she did not answer the door. Though the pigeons were not tied to her windows any more, they were still roosting in the area.

lphyllis@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 11, 2016.
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