For the second consecutive year, about 60 families residing on the banks of 440-acre Nanjarayan Tank situated here refrained from bursting crackers during Deepavali celebrations.
Decision
According to them, they took the decision only to avoid causing any disturbance to the habitat of migratory bird species that flock the area after being educated by nature activists and bird watchers on the importance of maintaining a tranquil atmosphere.
The tank, built by the then local King Nanjarayan for providing source for irrigation, is an abode of around 125 migratory birds coming from different continents, including Europe and North America besides the ones from Asian countries, all through the year.
“This Deepavali, birds from as far as Northern Europe have come as ‘our guests’ because it is winter time in their native tracts during this part of the year. In extreme cold conditions there, the birds face food shortage and hence, migrate,” K. Ravindran of Tirupur Nature Society, who is an environmental activist and bird-watcher at Nanjarayan tank, told The Hindu .
Awareness
Mr. Ravindran, who was among those activists responsible for successfully creating awareness against bursting crackers, said that the migratory birds had a tendency to come to the same place every year only if the environment was found conducive.
“If the crackers are burst, it can upset the daily life cycle of the birds and they may shift to some other place,” he added.
