Banish the ridiculous, it comes back at a gallop: a Norman municipality baffles with its insistence on controlling the impossible.
In this Kafkaesque whirlwind unfolding in Pont-L’Évêque, the town hall has decided to impose an improbable regulation. A decision as surreal as it is unenforceable, requiring storks to adhere to urban planning rules. Yes, you read that right, the tall waders will now be obligated to report the construction of their nests to the town hall.
“It’s a necessary precaution to ensure everyone’s safety, we cannot let these birds build their gigantic structures without any control,” justifies Madame Ganache, director of urban planning. A decision that, in addition to sowing confusion, has sparked a wave of protests among animal rights advocates.
To make the situation even more surreal, according to a municipal decree, storks that have built their nest without prior authorization would be liable to a fine of 150 euros. “We need to ensure that all constructions comply with current regulations, even if they are made by storks,” insists Madame Ganache.
“The way they’ve decided to handle this situation is a real headache for all of us. It’s as if they’re expecting the storks to line up to submit their building permit applications,” laughs Jean-Michel Doucet, president of the Normandy Bird Protection Association.
The irony of the situation quickly drew the attention of the national and international press, turning the small town of Pont-L’Évêque into a Kafkaesque spectacle. Many are denouncing an unprecedented administrative absurdity, a perfect example of the incoherence of a bureaucracy detached from reality.
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