If we are asked to choose between virtues and law, most Indians would choose virtue. I don't know why they believe that they only commit sins in life, which is why they keep running to do good deeds. And because of that, Ganga gets highly polluted. Or due to haphazard feeding of cows, roads in the cities everywhere get extremely dirty. Or in the competition to feed the birds, the number of pigeons increases uncontrollably!
However, now there has been a lot of awareness about providing fodder to cows in a proper way or purification of Ganga, which hopefully will improve and solve both these issues in the future. But there is still no awareness about pigeons. Due to which a kind of competition has started in the cities to feed pigeons, and as a result of that competition, the number of pigeons has increased surprisingly compared to the last decade. Anyone would wonder and ask what is wrong with the increasing the number of pigeons? This is good, na...
No! not if the number of animals or birds in this ecosystem increases or decreases more than their requirement, then many serious disturbances occur in the cycle of the ecosystem. Talking about pigeons, pigeons are aggressive birds in the bird world, due to which small birds can not live where there are pigeons. Because pigeons do not allow bird food to survive around their habitat! This is why pigeons are as responsible for the decline in numbers of sparrow populations in the cities as mobile towers!
And what do you think? Is it okay if the population of sparrows get eliminated from our ecosystem? Rather, sparrows are on the verge of extinction from most of our cities. So, is this an act of virtue? And keeping the ecosystem and biodiversity aside, the increasing population of pigeons is extremely harmful to the health of humans, especially our elders and children! Did you know that pigeon poop can destroy your lungs? Or it may make you suffer from serious respiratory diseases.
If we look at scientific research, the amount of bacteria called Chlamydia cystic in pigeon feces is very high. These bacteria enter the human breath through air and reach directly to the lungs. It's okay as long as it happens once or twice, but people who are around pigeons all the time will eventually become infected, and their lungs will become very seriously damaged. Medical science calls this lung disease hypersensitive pneumonitis.
If we look at the statistics, a pigeon excretes about 12 kg of feces in a year. And here in cities there is a competition to feed the pigeons. Due to which the population of pigeons has already increased in millions, pigeons have now made their nests in the windows or balconies or in the outdoor ACs even on the twelfth and fifteenth floors of high buildings. If you believe that we live at a very high altitude, then every year the pigeons are giving the gift of lung disease to your health by excreting thirty to thirty-five kilos of feces in the balcony or windows of your house.
Now, even lung specialists are saying that out of 100 lung patients who come to them, 25 suffer from hypersensitive pneumonitis, which is caused only by pigeons! Apart from this, complaints of difficulty in breathing and asthma attacks in children due to pigeon feces have also been heard. Due to these complaints and many other cases, municipal corporations in cities like Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra have imposed strict laws and fines on feeding pigeons.
But there is still no awareness about pigeons in many cities of India. Due to this, and as cities are expanding, special feeding platforms are being prepared for pigeons. Also, this feeding activity is highly increased in public places like temples or road junction, where there is heavy traffic. But remember, our carelessness may bring death to us or our relatives! And virtues depend only on good deeds. If we go to feed pigeons by hurting someone or cheating someone, God will not be pleased. We will definitely get the fruits of our actions. What do you say?
By Viral Desai
(The author is a known Environmentalist and the pioneer of Satyagraha Against Pollution movement, viraludayindia@gmail.com)
(The content of this article reflects the views of writers and contributors, not necessarily those of the publisher and editor. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only)
Comments (2)
P
Absolutely correct we must not encourage and who ever is we have convinced that this is wrong
P
Absolutely correct we must not encourage and who ever is we have convinced that this is wrong