Urbanization is on the roll the world over. More than half of the world’s population has come to stay in urban areas, which proportion is increasing globally. According to the Ministry of Urban Development, India is in the midst of the transition from a predominantly rural to a quasi-urban society. Urbanization in India has become an important and irreversible process, and an important determinant of national economic growth and poverty reduction. The Census 2011 has recorded the urban population of India at 377 million (31.2%). There are many projections as to the progress of urbanization in India and the world. Primacy of urbanization is the buzz and there is no denying the fact of paradigm shift urbanization has brought about in terms of growth of economy, industry structure, employment, rapid of modes of transportation, education, health, amenities of comfortable living and working, cultural and social activities, etc. etc. As development of the infrastructure and housing among other things is not keeping pace with the rate of urbanization, the ill-effects of this mismatch is now engaging the attention. Pollution is also a major issue severely affecting the quality of life in urban areas. In addition to these issues, there are some issues that are not engaging the attention and causing irreversible changes of losing. These issues relate to how cities are losing on natural bounties.
Nature’s creation is bountiful. As a part of the scheme of the things of nature, certain animals and birds are made to live with humans. That makes the life beautiful. A city is a human settlement and among the birds that give company to city dwellers are crows, rock-pigeons, sparrows, mynas.etc. Earlier the list of such birds was long but over the decades, as a result of concretization of the city, loss of traditional houses and uncaring attitude of city dwellers, the list has sharply narrowed down. The birds that have survived are those that have adapted themselves to the changing conditions. Crows are nature’s scavengers and perform many functions in the environment which go unappreciated. They are called birds of opportunity- symbolically they teach us that no opportunity should be missed. They are examples of how to survive when no one cares for them. The grey coloured rock-pigeons have all along given company to humans. As the persons/communities with compassionate bent of mind feed them grains on which the pigeons survive and multiply in cities. This is a bright example on the part of such persons/ communities of giving without expecting anything in return.
Cute Sparrow
The next bird in our list is sparrow (Passer domesticus) small, cute, innocent, chirping bird. Sparrows build their nests wherever they can- on window sills, the tops of doors, and almirahs, and in the nooks and corners. The onslaught of urbanization, concretization of cities, loss of informal settings in residences and localities is causing loss of habitat to them and thus, big decline in their population and presence in cities. This has been noticed by some discerning nature and bird lovers. Fortunately, there are some environment conscious individuals and institutions that have paid attention to this problem. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) conducted a study across the country, which reported the absence of sparrows from about 50% areas during 2005-2012, compared to that in pre-2005. While 1-30 birds were spotted frequently, clusters of 30 plus saw a 60% decline. While nests could be often seen before 2005, they fell by 65% in the last decade. Going through the media coverage one finds that dwindling number of sparrows is a mystery in Britain, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy. This decline is well documented in the U.K.
Mr. Mohammed Dilawar, who founded the Nature Forever Society, has taken remarkable initiatives towards arresting the decline in populations of sparrows through various forums and activities. According to the NFS, sparrows are not able to adapt to the changes in the urban landscape, and therefore die out for want of space to build their nests. Another society by the name The Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) through survey found that because of various changes in cities in the last few years, like tree cuttings and dwindling of old grocery stores have not left room for sparrows to build nests or nibble on grains and other food items that were earlier accessible in small retail shops.
Late Syedna Burhanuddin, head of the Bohra community was concerned with this issue and caused distribution of more than 50,000 bird feeders. Bird feeders are cylinder-shaped objects in which small grains like broker rice is filled. There is a small outlet of a bowl shape at the bottom. Sparrow eats from the bowl and small quantities of grain trickle in the bowl.
Celebrating World Sparrow Day is an innovative idea initiated by the Nature Forever Society in collaboration with other national and international organizations. It is celebrated on 20 March every year since the year 2010. As the idea has attracted attention of various nature loving and bird-loving individuals and institutions, every year heartening reports are coming out from various parts of the country. The Forest Department of Government of Maharashtra initiated a pilot project on the issue of ‘vanishing birds’. Among other things they placed about 1000 artificial nests at various locations for sparrows and found 80 percent occupancy. Encouraged by the positive results they have continued the project for 2017 and 2018 and extended to Thane, Kalyan, Alibag, Mahad, Shriwardhan while in 2018, they will be kept at Vasai, Shahpur, Goregaon, Ulhasnagar, Ambarnath.
In Hyderabad, one bird lover Mrs. Rajani Vakkalanka founded Citizens’ Action for Local Biodiversity Awareness and Conservation (CALBAC). (Please see the box)
Supported by few like-minded individuals, she has been engaged in spreading awareness on sparrows as well as setting up nesting facilities in different areas. They have got boxes prepared by carpenters at a cost of Rs 45 to Rs 50 and provide them at the same cost. According to her, sparrows are disappearing because of three main reasons: lack of space for nesting, absence of shrubs and non-availability of worms for baby sparrows. Baby sparrows survive on worms fed to them by mother sparrows. Sparrows pick up worms from shrubs, grassy patches, etc.
Delhi has declared sparrow as State Bird in 2012 as a part of the campaign to save the species. A media report from Varanasi showed that Varanasi Forest Division undertook an awareness drive by sensitizing school children and distributing wooden nests and holding Talk shows. In Lucknow individuals, NGOs, schools or colleges that have done notable work towards conservation of the species of common birds were awarded.
In Mumbai BNHS, NFS, Mahim Nature Park, etc. are hubs of nature lovers and bird watchers. Media coverage of these events shows that there are individuals and institutions that are working for the cause of arresting population decline of sparrows in Mumbai with dedication. A Dharavi resident Mr. Pramod Mane runs a Sparrow’s Shelter and has installed thousands of sparrow nests across Mumbai. In fact list of such individuals and organizations is increasing. May their ilk multiply!
Constitutional mandate and needed by municipal bodies
A city is a human settlement and a settlement should not lose out on nature’s beauties but maintain them for the next generations. The Constitution of India has rightly included in the mandatory functions the item of “urban forestry, protection of environment and promotion of ecological aspects” for the municipalities, in the 12th Schedule. Protection of the flora and fauna, creating conditions conducive for them to survive and flourish in the cities squarely fits into the four corners of the constitutional mandate for a municipal corporation. Municipal bodies are performing multifarious roles and are executing a large number of projects, works, big and small. It is fitting that as furtherance of their mandate of promotion of ecological aspects, the Municipal Corporations, and Municipal Councils take it in their agenda to save this cute tiny bird so that it’s hopping and chirping around us remains with us. Concern of cities is their prime concern and they must support and encourage citizens and institutions that are working for saving an object of beauty in the city. Such an initiative fits in their mandatory duties. Some Municipal Corporations are known to have taken some initiative like installing artificial nests in their parks, etc. They can devise various measures on a higher scale on the lines of innovative initiatives of NFS, BNHs and other individuals and institutions. With their resources, organized departments their outreach in the city, they can make a big impact to these activities and also involve public, school and college students, corporate bodies and NGOs and support the cause.