Coimbatore : While colourful kites are a matter of fun and joy for kids and alike, environmental activists in Coimbatore have raised a red flag for a kite festival organised here in order to safeguard the winged visitors.
Coimbatore : While colourful kites are a matter of fun and joy for kids and alike, environmental activists in Coimbatore have raised a red flag for a kite festival organised here in order to safeguard the winged visitors.
The two days festival announced by Diamond City Real Estate Developer is the fourth edition of Kite Festival to be organised on Saturday and Sunday, wherein hundreds of kite fliers are to fly kites in the evenings and mornings.
However, the timings of the festival coincide with the movement of birds, which looks alarming as many birds could be injured or worse, meet a fatal end, a common outcome of kite festivals in India.
The issue was first highlighted by S.Bharathi Dasan, Secretary of Arulagam Foundation, which is working for the conservation of vultures in Tamil Nadu. He immediately took to social media explaining the ill effects kite festivals could have on avian life.
“Birds can be easily caught on the threads and die because of shock after falling down. In most cases, they suffer grievous injuries on the wings, neck region and later die a painful death. Or they could be left eternally crippled with broken legs or infected in the eyes,” Bharathi Dasan said.
Claiming that this was a wrong season to be conducting kite festivals, Bharathi Dasan said that birds including Spot-billed Pelicans, Painted Storks, Swamp Hens and Common Coots migrate in large numbers during this month adding that it could prove a fatal festival for these birds.
“Birds are already facing a number of threats from pesticides, water pollution, shrinking of habitats, poisoned carcasses and industrial effluents. Festivals such as these are just adding fuel to the fire,” he said.
Talking about the dangers of kite festivals, V. Kirubanandhini, research at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History who has been studying the impact of kite festivals on birds, said that each year, nearly a thousand birds die in India in the various kite festivals held here.
“Atleast upto 30 species of birds are affected by the kite festivals held in Gujarat, Rajasthan and New Delhi. Endangered birds including the Saurus Crane, Ibisis, Harriers, Vultures, Herons and Pelicans either die or forever crippled during these festivals,” she said.
She further added that despite best efforts from international veterinarians it was difficult to revive injured birds and claimed that the population of birds has drastically reduced because of such events.
Not just for birds, Bharathi Dasan said that the kite flying has proved costly for humans as two persons including a two-year-old baby fell victim to a kite thread in Chennai following which, the sport was banned in Chennai.
“We are quizzed at how most of our festivals stand against our natural resources. It is high time we celebrate our festivals responsibly keeping in mind our natural wealth. If we are irresponsible and allow such acts, there will be no birds in the future,” Bharathi Dasan warned.
The two days festival announced by Diamond City Real Estate Developer is the fourth edition of Kite Festival to be organised on Saturday and Sunday, wherein hundreds of kite fliers are to fly kites in the evenings and mornings.
However, the timings of the festival coincide with the movement of birds, which looks alarming as many birds could be injured or worse, meet a fatal end, a common outcome of kite festivals in India.
The issue was first highlighted by S.Bharathi Dasan, Secretary of Arulagam Foundation, which is working for the conservation of vultures in Tamil Nadu. He immediately took to social media explaining the ill effects kite festivals could have on avian life.
“Birds can be easily caught on the threads and die because of shock after falling down. In most cases, they suffer grievous injuries on the wings, neck region and later die a painful death. Or they could be left eternally crippled with broken legs or infected in the eyes,” Bharathi Dasan said.
Claiming that this was a wrong season to be conducting kite festivals, Bharathi Dasan said that birds including Spot-billed Pelicans, Painted Storks, Swamp Hens and Common Coots migrate in large numbers during this month adding that it could prove a fatal festival for these birds.
“Birds are already facing a number of threats from pesticides, water pollution, shrinking of habitats, poisoned carcasses and industrial effluents. Festivals such as these are just adding fuel to the fire,” he said.
Talking about the dangers of kite festivals, V. Kirubanandhini, research at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History who has been studying the impact of kite festivals on birds, said that each year, nearly a thousand birds die in India in the various kite festivals held here.
“Atleast upto 30 species of birds are affected by the kite festivals held in Gujarat, Rajasthan and New Delhi. Endangered birds including the Saurus Crane, Ibisis, Harriers, Vultures, Herons and Pelicans either die or forever crippled during these festivals,” she said.
She further added that despite best efforts from international veterinarians it was difficult to revive injured birds and claimed that the population of birds has drastically reduced because of such events.
Not just for birds, Bharathi Dasan said that the kite flying has proved costly for humans as two persons including a two-year-old baby fell victim to a kite thread in Chennai following which, the sport was banned in Chennai.
“We are quizzed at how most of our festivals stand against our natural resources. It is high time we celebrate our festivals responsibly keeping in mind our natural wealth. If we are irresponsible and allow such acts, there will be no birds in the future,” Bharathi Dasan warned.