Save Birds Save nature

Online dash to save the vanishing sparrow

Saswati Mukherjee TNN 

Source: Times of IndiaIf you have been missing the once-familiar chirping of sparrows around your house, here’s your chance to contribute to finding out why this common bird seems to have disappeared from cities across India. 

A two-month-long online survey called Citizen Sparrow was launched on Sunday, inviting responses from people on questions such as when they last sighted the bird and details about the area they live in. The survey can be taken at www.citizensparrow.in. 

“It is an elementary step to gather information. We are encouraging people to report their experience, be it a drastic drop in sparrow count or a sudden spurt. These inputs will give us valuable leads to compile pan-India data,” said Suhel Quader, evolutionary ecologist at the National Centre for Biological Sciences. 

The environment ministry-funded survey is being undertaken by the Bombay Natural History Society, with the help of 10 partner organizations such as the Indian Bird Conservation Network and Nature Conservation Foundation. The disappearance of the house sparrow — so widespread till recently that the Chinese Communist Party declared it a pest in 1958 and asked people to exterminate it — remains a great modern mystery worldwide. In the UK, sparrows are estimated to have declined from over 12 million to 6 million since the mid-70s. 

While in Europe the decline has been documented and studied, there has beenno major study in India so far. BNHS seeks to change that with its current initiative.

“The survey would give us the first baseline data about distribution of sparrows in the country. This would form the basis for futher research,” said Karthik K, project coordinator. 

The objective of involving ordinary citizens rather than experts comes with a purpose. “Almost everyone knows about sparrows. It is an attempt to reach out to people, asking them to share their stories and their understanding of these birds,” said Quader. 

Participants in the survey would be asked to mark locations on a map and give information about their sparrow sightings, including sightings from the last year and even earlier. Such information will enable a comparison of sparrows in different places, and this is expected to point to particular threats or problems. The findings are intended to feed detailed studies investigating causes of decline and potential measures for the recovery of sparrow populations. 

Asad Rahmani, director, BNHS, said, “The sparrow is an indicator of a trend. A number of other birds have also declined sharply in the past few decades. We hope the survey would provide more clues about why these birds are disappearing.” 

WHERE HAVE THEY GONE? 

Possible reasons for decline in sparrow numbers in cities 

Pesticides kill soft-bodied insects which sparrow chicks feed on. Pesticide in grains, food for adult birds, may also be contributing to decline.

Modern housing leaves no space for birds to nest Manicured lawns do not allow grass to seed. Seeds attract insects.

General decline in insect habitats like gardens 

Radiation from mobile towers could be affecting birds, although studies aren’t conclusive

Poverty ‘down’, but not the hungry

Poverty ‘down’, but not the hungry

Two-Thirds Of India’s Population Eating Less Than What Is Needed: Study

Subodh Varma TIMES INSIGHT GROUP 

Source: Times of India

    Even as the debate rages on whether poverty measurement in India is accurate, a recent report on nutritional intake of Indians has come up with a chilling conclusion: two thirds of the country’s population is eating less than what is required. 
    Even more worrying is that this trend continues despite a healthy economic growth rate over several years, and despite several mega programmes of nutrition delivery to children. Experts believe that this can only indicate widespread hunger and malnutrition, consequences of rampant poverty. Nutritional intake is measured in terms of calorific value of food consumed. 
    This has shockingly declined from 2,153Kcal per person per day in 1993-94 to 2020 in 2009-10 in rural areas and from 2,071 to 1,946 Kcal in urban areas according to the report of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), based on its 66th survey round. Even between 2004-05 and 2009-10, calorie intake per person per day dipped from 2,047 to 2,020 in rural areas and from 2,020 to 1946 in urban areas. This may raise questions about reported decline in poverty as claimed by the Planning Commission. 
    According to the National Institute of Nutrition, an average Indian male of age 18-29 years and weighing 60kg needs 2,320Kcal per day if he does only sedentary work. 
    The Planning Commission had adopted 2,400 Kcal (rural) and 2,100 Kcal (urban) as the minimum daily requirement norm. 

    What about protein consumption, which is higher in affluent societies because more meat, eggs, fish and milk is consumed? According to the NSSO report, protein consumption too has fallen from 60.2g to 55g per person per day in rural areas and from 57.2g to 53.5g in the urban areas between 1993-94 and 2009-10. 
    The decline is across the board, but is sharpest in rural areas of Rajasthan, Haryana, UP and Punjab — where intake has fallen by 9-12g per person per day. 
    Fat consumption has risen by about 7g in rural and 6g in urban areas over this 16-year period in all major states. Average daily fat consumption per person was 38g in rural areas and about 48g in urban areas. These are averages over the whole population. 
    In reality, the situation is much more dire for the poor. About 90%of the poorest tenth of the population in both urban and rural areas consume food that gives them less than just 2,160 Kcal. Average calorie intake among the poorest tenth of the population is just 1,619 Kcal in rural areas and 1,584Kcal in urban areas, reveals the NSSO report. The richest 10% of the population consumes 2,922 Kcal in rural areas and 2,855 Kcal in urban on an average. 
    The NSSO report explodes the widely held perception that people in India, especially urban dwellers, are shifting to non-cereal food items like dairy products in a big way for their nutritional needs. Share of energy — calorie intake — from cereals has declined from 71%to 64% in rural areas and from 59% to 55% in urban areas over 1993-94 and 2009-10.

तेल के दाम में सरकारे खा रही मलाई

तेल के दाम में सरकारे खा रही मलाई

पेट्रोल की मूल कीमत से अधिक तो इन पर शुल्क व अधिभार लग जाता हैं. तेल कंपनियों को दिल्ली में तेल की मूल कीमत 29 रूपये पड़ती हैं. लेकिन केंद्र व राज्य सरकारे शुल्क के नाम पर 32 रूपये से अधिक वसूल लेती हैं. इसी कारन हम तक पेट्रोल पहुँचते-पहुँचते कीमत इतनी अधिक हो जाती हैं. 1 लीटर पेट्रोल पर 14.35 रु उत्पादक शुल्क, 1.1 सीमा शुल्क, 1.54 विशेष सीमा शुल्क, 43 पैसे सिक्षा उपकार, 5.5 रु वैट कर वशुला जाता हैं. जिससे तेल की कीमत 58.00 रूपये हो जाती हैं. समाचार के मुताबिक कम्पनियों ने तेल की कीमत न बढने पर 180 करोड़  घाटा होना बताया हैं. लेकिन ये टैक्स जो हम लोग देते हैं उसे तो सरकार घोटाले करके डकार जाती है. जिसका कोई हिसाब नहीं हैं. सरकार को ये पैसा घोटालेबाजो से वसूल करके पूरा करना चाहिए. हमें क्यों मर रहे हो.......

देवता होता तो निकल पाता आदमी हूँ, भँवर में रहता हूँ

देवता होता तो निकल पाता
आदमी हूँ, भँवर में रहता हूँ

इंसान की जिन्दगी मोह के भंवर में फंसी हैं

सच्चाई का दामन थाम इसे पर कर जाओ

नजरे तो धोखा हैं मिथ्या दिखती हैं 

दिमाग उलझन हैं सोच इसका सफ़र 

दिल की आवाज सुनो ये ईश्वर की नेमत हैं

अपने आप को पहचानो तुम इंसान हो

चलो अपनी राह पर जब तक रौशनी न मिल जाये

निशा अपने कदमो के छोड़ जाओ धरती पर .

उठो पार्थ, गांडीव संभालो,दूर करो अपनी दुविधा

युद्ध धरम हैं, युद्ध कर्म हैं, मात्र शेष यदि युद्ध विधा.

..........................

Birla Mandir

New Delhi

BIRLA MANDIR
Laxmi Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Mandir, is one of Delhi’s major temples and a major tourist attraction. Built by the industrialst G.D. Birla in 1938, this beautiful temple is located in the west of Connaught Place.		Location: Near Gole Market,Mandir Marg, Connaught Place Nearest Metro Station:RK  Ashram Marg Timings: 6am to 10pm(best to visit duringmorning and evening Aarti) Entry: FreeDays Closed: None Photography: Not allowed in prayer hall
	The temple is dedicated to Laxmi (the goddess of prosperity) and Narayana (The preserver). The temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi on the condition that people of all castes will be allowed to enter the temple. (Source Delhi Tourism)