Sparrow meat is the latest fad among rich and famous of the city and that too for enhancing sexual power. As a result, landed thousands of sparrows from all over the city at notorious Crawford Market and are being sold openly.
Though some hakims in the city are making merry by selling the medicine made from sparrow meat, the experts have written off the claims.
According to Karim Khan, founder president of People in Defence of Animals (PIDA), the demand for the bird shot up suddenly after some hakims managed to prepare a medicine claimed to enhance sexual power. “The medicine, made from the flesh of male sparrow has suddenly become hot cake and most of the wealthy people in the city are the biggest consumers,” Khan said. The hakims in Pydhonie, Bhendi Bazar, Nagpada and Mohammed Ali Road are known to prepare the medicine and cliental include industrialists and film stars, Khan said. It is learnt that the birds are trapped from various parts of the city using nylon nets. “Since the size of the bird is small, large number of birds is required to make the medicine sufficient for one regimen,” Khan said.
Noted sexologist Dr Prkash Kothari has ridiculed the claim saying that there no medicine is available on the planate that can guarantee enhanced sexual power. “Sparrows and pigeons are supposed to be very hot blooded birds and hence highly prone to such myths. The entire thinking works on sexual signatures like swift movements of the birds. People assume that since the bird moves so swiftly, it would work on their sex organs too,” Dr Kothari said. According to Dr Ketan Parmar from Borivali, the good companion is the only sex enhancer. “It is all myths exist due to mass appeal,” Dr Parmar said.
The matter came to fore when volunteers of Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Mumbai stumbled upon the trade during routine visit to the market last week.
“I was surprised to see strikingly high number of House Sparrows in cages at the market during the visit last week. All the birds were in bad condition and were for sale,” said Sunish Subramanian of PAWS, Mumbai. It is alarming that on one hand some people in the city are trying to save the bird as its population is going down drastically and on the other, thousands of were being sold openly, Subramanian added.
PAWS volunteers posing as customers even purchased at Rs 40 per bird from a shop named Home Living World in the market, where three cages full of sparrows were kept for sale. “Being cramped in small cages, most of the birds were had severe injuries all over the body due to fighting,” he said.
The news has shocked animal lovers of the city also. “Sale of House Sparrow is really shocking news. I am not at all in favour of any kind of bird sale in those pathetic conditions at that market or any market for that matter,” said naturalist Sunjoy Monga. For a species on a shocking decline in so many areas, this kind of sale must be stopped immediately and it doesn’t matter what the status position of the species is. It sets a bad and disturbing precedent, Monga said.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Environment and development
Environment and development are equally important. As development is inevitable, there has to be a balance between the both. According to Dr Shreerang Kadrekar, noted scientist and former vice-chancellor of Dapoli Agriculture University, people should not oppose developmental project for the sake of opposition.
“The state is currently reeling under acute power shortage. And enhanced power generation is the only solution to the problem. But unfortunately, people tend to oppose such projects in the name of environment and other problems blown out of proportion,” Dr Kadrekar said.
The founder member of the Indian Society of Environmental Science and Technology (ISEST), Dr Kadrekar is also instrumental in creating awareness among young generation about importance of both development and environment.
He feels that power plants do not necessarily result in huge air and soil pollution. On the contrary, if managed mindfully, a power plant can become a role model in environment conservation. “The Dahanu Thermal Power Station (DTPS), for example, has set many bench marks not only in power generation but environment conservation also,” Dr Kadrekar said. A power plant can help the society in many ways and when such activities are done meticulously, results can be fabulous, he said. Today, corporate houses have become more conscious about environment protection and have undertaken many conservation measures, which is definitely a good sign, he added.
“The biggest reason for opposition to any thermal power plant is air pollution due to smoke and fly ash. But not many people know that flay ash can be used as fertilizer, pesticide and also to construct buildings and roads,” Dr Kadrekar said. People should obtain complete information about functioning of any project before opposing, he added. In view of the current power crisis in the state, society should support setting up new power plants and upgradation of existing ones. “If managed on the lines of DTPS, pollution can be kept well under control and at the same time, green cover around the plant can be increased manifold,” he said.
Some problems to environment are bound to occur due to developmental projects. But environmentalists and policy makers should try to mitigate the consequences rather than opposing the projects. These projects can also become highly socially responsible if allowed to function properly, Dr Kadrekar added. Despite the DTPS being functional to the fullest for over a decade now, there is virtually no effect on the environment of Dahanu, he said. Whatever claims are being made for the environmental impact of DTPS on farming, especially, chikku farms, the root cause is mismanagement and not the power plant, Dr Kadrekar said.
“The state is currently reeling under acute power shortage. And enhanced power generation is the only solution to the problem. But unfortunately, people tend to oppose such projects in the name of environment and other problems blown out of proportion,” Dr Kadrekar said.
The founder member of the Indian Society of Environmental Science and Technology (ISEST), Dr Kadrekar is also instrumental in creating awareness among young generation about importance of both development and environment.
He feels that power plants do not necessarily result in huge air and soil pollution. On the contrary, if managed mindfully, a power plant can become a role model in environment conservation. “The Dahanu Thermal Power Station (DTPS), for example, has set many bench marks not only in power generation but environment conservation also,” Dr Kadrekar said. A power plant can help the society in many ways and when such activities are done meticulously, results can be fabulous, he said. Today, corporate houses have become more conscious about environment protection and have undertaken many conservation measures, which is definitely a good sign, he added.
“The biggest reason for opposition to any thermal power plant is air pollution due to smoke and fly ash. But not many people know that flay ash can be used as fertilizer, pesticide and also to construct buildings and roads,” Dr Kadrekar said. People should obtain complete information about functioning of any project before opposing, he added. In view of the current power crisis in the state, society should support setting up new power plants and upgradation of existing ones. “If managed on the lines of DTPS, pollution can be kept well under control and at the same time, green cover around the plant can be increased manifold,” he said.
Some problems to environment are bound to occur due to developmental projects. But environmentalists and policy makers should try to mitigate the consequences rather than opposing the projects. These projects can also become highly socially responsible if allowed to function properly, Dr Kadrekar added. Despite the DTPS being functional to the fullest for over a decade now, there is virtually no effect on the environment of Dahanu, he said. Whatever claims are being made for the environmental impact of DTPS on farming, especially, chikku farms, the root cause is mismanagement and not the power plant, Dr Kadrekar said.
Climate change
The BBC World News and Synovate survey has revealed a shift in attitudes to climate change. Significantly, India is among seven countries that show the largest increases in levels of concern, with 72 per cent population concerned about climate change as compared to just 59 per cent last year.
Surprisingly, in the United States of America, the highest increase in the population concerned for climate change was recorded. According to the findings of the survey conducted in 2007, only 57 per cent population was concerned about climate change while in 2008, it has increased to 80 per cent.
The key findings of the second global opinion survey carried out by the international market research company in conjunction with the international news channel were announced recently. The survey, which was carried out across 22 markets on six continents, looks at global attitudes towards climate change. Areas covered include levels of concern, what people are doing about climate change and who they believe is responsible.
The results show that respondents’ attitudes to climate change have shifted since the same survey was conducted last year. This is especially apparent in the United States of America where levels of concern have dramatically increased from 57 per cent in 2007 to 80 per cent this year.
The countries that show the largest increases in levels of concern from last year are India and France with a rise of 11 per cent in the population concerned about climate change, Denmark with a rise of 17 per cent, France having 13 per cent increase in the population concerned about climate change, Poland and United Kingdom, where the percentage of people concerned about climate change has increased by 11 percent over last one year, whereas Russia has shown 14 per cent increase in the population concerned about climate change.
Jeremy Nye, Head of Audience Insight at BBC World News says, “These results reflect what our audiences have been telling us with regard to their levels of concern about global warming. In nearly all markets, citizens believe it is up to ordinary people to change their behaviour.” Steve Garton, Executive Director, Media at Synovate says, “We first conducted this survey in 2007 and saw high levels of concern about climate change across the globe. After a year, it seems that extra focus has had an impact.”
There has been a significant shift in concern over climate change, translating through to many facets of consumer behaviour. Compared to 68 per cent in 2007, this year 72 per cent of respondents were concerned about climate change. While the overall increase in concern was not huge, individual countries show significant changes. Interestingly, the majority of respondents in the USA still nominated their own country as the most responsible for climate change. An overall belief is that human causes and pollution are the root causes for climate change.
Surprisingly, in the United States of America, the highest increase in the population concerned for climate change was recorded. According to the findings of the survey conducted in 2007, only 57 per cent population was concerned about climate change while in 2008, it has increased to 80 per cent.
The key findings of the second global opinion survey carried out by the international market research company in conjunction with the international news channel were announced recently. The survey, which was carried out across 22 markets on six continents, looks at global attitudes towards climate change. Areas covered include levels of concern, what people are doing about climate change and who they believe is responsible.
The results show that respondents’ attitudes to climate change have shifted since the same survey was conducted last year. This is especially apparent in the United States of America where levels of concern have dramatically increased from 57 per cent in 2007 to 80 per cent this year.
The countries that show the largest increases in levels of concern from last year are India and France with a rise of 11 per cent in the population concerned about climate change, Denmark with a rise of 17 per cent, France having 13 per cent increase in the population concerned about climate change, Poland and United Kingdom, where the percentage of people concerned about climate change has increased by 11 percent over last one year, whereas Russia has shown 14 per cent increase in the population concerned about climate change.
Jeremy Nye, Head of Audience Insight at BBC World News says, “These results reflect what our audiences have been telling us with regard to their levels of concern about global warming. In nearly all markets, citizens believe it is up to ordinary people to change their behaviour.” Steve Garton, Executive Director, Media at Synovate says, “We first conducted this survey in 2007 and saw high levels of concern about climate change across the globe. After a year, it seems that extra focus has had an impact.”
There has been a significant shift in concern over climate change, translating through to many facets of consumer behaviour. Compared to 68 per cent in 2007, this year 72 per cent of respondents were concerned about climate change. While the overall increase in concern was not huge, individual countries show significant changes. Interestingly, the majority of respondents in the USA still nominated their own country as the most responsible for climate change. An overall belief is that human causes and pollution are the root causes for climate change.
Mumbai is sinking
A city full of paradoxes, Mumbai is mini India in many ways. And it is fast being pushed towards the path marked with destruction through development. While environmentalists are trying their best to achieve sustainable development, bureaucracy and politics is the major hindrance to it.
As a result of mindless development and subsequent large scale tree felling coupled with ever increasing population the acute problem of environmental degradation has relegated into oblivion. On July 26, 2005, city witnessed biggest ever disaster solely resulting due to environmental abuse. Despite the devastation, the policymakers have not learnt a lesson and continued with the developmental activities. The authorities have failed to foresee the consequences of tampering with the environment.
Mangroves are an integral part of the landscape of Mumbai. And the worst hit by the development and lack of political will power to protect it. The city has lost almost 40 per cent of mangrove forest over the recent past.
According to Debi Goenka of Conservation Action Trust, despite the statutory protection since February 19, 1991, when the CRZ notification came into force, mangroves have been systematically destroyed, very often with the active connivance of the agencies that are supposed to protect them. “Mangrove destruction is going on despite the order of court. Fortunately, because of court orders, we have been successful in getting 5,500 hectares of mangroves declared as protected forests,” he said.
Goenka feels that the air quality in the city actually improved four years ago when the High Court orders to convert taxis to CNG and to phase out commercial vehicles that were more than 8 years old, came into effect. “Unfortunately, all the gains made by these orders have been offset by the increase in the vehicle population. There is a serious need to enforce restrictions in the use of private vehicles in the island city,” Goenka said. The frequency of the suburban trains also needs to be increased. One air conditioned compartment should also be attached to every local train, he feels.
The rampant and unchecked construction activities in Mumbai have placed an intolerable stress on the infrastructure and have resulted in increased air and noise pollution. “Our few remaining hills are being ruthlessly destroyed. Our ponds and water bodies are being systematically reclaimed. And the Mumbaikar is totally apathetic to this open rape of the environment,” Goenka said. This is the ultimate tragedy. If people expressed their concerns, Government would be forced to take action, he added.
As a result of mindless development and subsequent large scale tree felling coupled with ever increasing population the acute problem of environmental degradation has relegated into oblivion. On July 26, 2005, city witnessed biggest ever disaster solely resulting due to environmental abuse. Despite the devastation, the policymakers have not learnt a lesson and continued with the developmental activities. The authorities have failed to foresee the consequences of tampering with the environment.
Mangroves are an integral part of the landscape of Mumbai. And the worst hit by the development and lack of political will power to protect it. The city has lost almost 40 per cent of mangrove forest over the recent past.
According to Debi Goenka of Conservation Action Trust, despite the statutory protection since February 19, 1991, when the CRZ notification came into force, mangroves have been systematically destroyed, very often with the active connivance of the agencies that are supposed to protect them. “Mangrove destruction is going on despite the order of court. Fortunately, because of court orders, we have been successful in getting 5,500 hectares of mangroves declared as protected forests,” he said.
Goenka feels that the air quality in the city actually improved four years ago when the High Court orders to convert taxis to CNG and to phase out commercial vehicles that were more than 8 years old, came into effect. “Unfortunately, all the gains made by these orders have been offset by the increase in the vehicle population. There is a serious need to enforce restrictions in the use of private vehicles in the island city,” Goenka said. The frequency of the suburban trains also needs to be increased. One air conditioned compartment should also be attached to every local train, he feels.
The rampant and unchecked construction activities in Mumbai have placed an intolerable stress on the infrastructure and have resulted in increased air and noise pollution. “Our few remaining hills are being ruthlessly destroyed. Our ponds and water bodies are being systematically reclaimed. And the Mumbaikar is totally apathetic to this open rape of the environment,” Goenka said. This is the ultimate tragedy. If people expressed their concerns, Government would be forced to take action, he added.
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