Daily Times

The ongoing lockdown is wreaking havoc on birds across the province, especially at the universities in Sindh that have come to depend on human activity on the campuses for their survival.

A number of local birds like sparrows, crows, koels, doves, owls, pigeons and parrots are struggling to find food as all of the canteens/eateries in boys’ and girls’ hostels at 12 leading Universities in Sindh, including campus-side food stalls, have closed down in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The University of Sindh Jamshoro, Mehran University of Engineering & technology Jamshoro, Liaquat Medical University of Health Sciences Jamshoro, Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Sciences & Technology Shaheed Benazirabad, Benazir University Shaheed Benazirabad, Peoples University of Medical & Health Sciences Shaheed Benazirabad, Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur, Mohtarma Benazir University of Medical & Health Sciences Larkana, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, University of Sufism & Modern Sciences and University of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Sakrand have remained closed since second week of March, instant; for which the birds which have been eating waste-food from the various canteens and roadside food stalls on campuses seem to be enervated flying to and fro on the concerned campuses.

According to a survey, after the announcement to close schools, colleges and universities across the province in the second week of the last month, the vice chancellors could not do anything so far to protect the birds living at their campuses.

Not to speak of providing feed for the birds on the campus, no university administration took efforts even to manage water for the local birds. The trees and plants seemed to be faded away at Sindh University’s Allama I.I Kazi campus.

Thousands of local birds like sparrows, crows, doves, mynas, owls, pigeons and parrots can be seen risking starvation and food as well as water shortage.

Exacerbating the lack of food is the onset of the summer, with the stifling heat driving the local birds to the brink of exhaustion.

“I saw a parrot falling from a tree in central canteen’s lawn. It must have suffered sunstroke and was unable to move. I tried my best to revive the bird, but it died after a few hours,” said Nazir Buledi, a security guard at Sindh University Campus Jamshoro.

He said that the horticulturists and gardeners had been allowed by the university administration to stay at home, therefore; there was no mechanism of watering the plants and trees on the campus adding that the non-provision of water resulted in wreckage & ruins of plants as well as trees and death of birds.

“Thousands of birds depend on hotels situated at the University for their food. With the varsity closing down completely for several days, many birds including sparrows, crows and doves are dying of hunger and thirst of water,” said an outsourced security guard of Mehran University requesting anonymity.

In this regard, while talking to this correspondent , the vice chancellor of Mehran University Jamshoro Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam Uqaili lauded the services of the newspaper for conducting a survey on the troubles of birds and said that he will take all the measures to ensure feed and water to the birds forthwith.

He said that he was thankful to this correspondent for drawing his attention to the very sensitive issue adding that the water tumblers will be kept on the terraces of various departments on the campuses for birds and feed will also be provided to them.

“We provide millet and other grains to the birds at girls hostel perpetually but I will personally provide the same on the terrace of boys hostels, central canteen and departments”, he maintained.

The acting registrar of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro Dr. Saroop Bhatia told that there was a big compound in the hostel, where his administration will fill water pots for the birds.

He admitted that due to the lockdown, the gardeners were not attending their offices but he said he will ensure their attendance in order to arrange water tubs and feed for indigenous birds living at the campus.

“Weather these days is very hot, we will take all the efforts to save our birds”, he said.

The pro vice chancellor of Sindh University’s Dadu Campus prof. Dr. Muneeruddin Soomro said that after the publication of news of vice chancellor, University of the Punjab regarding provision of food and water to the birds at the campus, he had taken measures to ensure water and feed for the local birds at Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Campus Dadu and one could experience the same from Tuesday.

“Though our campus is running short of funds, yet we will think of our plants, trees and birds on priority basis. We cannot stay alive except nature. Let’s save our trees and birds, lets save the nature”, he established.

When contacted, the deputy director of wildlife department Qazi Naeem told that there were around 315 small and central canteens, many shops, biryani centers and push-cart vendors doing food business inclusing selling breakfast, snacks, biryanis, noodles, juices, fruits and other eatables in all 12 leading universities situated at Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana, Kahirpur, Sakrand, Tandojam and Bhitshah and the birds living in the trees on the concerned capmuses depended on the leftovers generated by these canteens and push-carts.

He said that the managements of these universities did not come up with the devised strategy to save the nature by providing water and feed to the indigenous birds, trees and plants in the wake of lockdown.

“If someone thinks that protecting the lives of birds is the responsibility of mere world life, he is at mistake. The universities have enough budget provision, their vice chancellors on emergency basis should devise a plan and provide water and food to the birds living at their campuses”, he advised and said that the gardeners should be convened on their duties in order to save the saplings, plants and trees as well by watering them.

Environment expert Nasir Panhwer while talking to this correspondent told that every year, during the summer, some people provided water in tumblers on the terraces for birds but this year, 3-month prior to summer vacation, the worries and anxieties of the masses in wake of lockdown ordered to curb the proliferation of coronavirus (COVID-19), no one seemed arranging water or food for the birds.

“Due to the lockdown, residents are not coming out and many birds are dying; the alarming thing is this that the heads of universities did not even think of it,” he said.

He said that the birds living on campuses could only survive when they will be provided with water and food adding that without food, they will face weight loss resulting in diseases and deaths. He added that the people will have to protect the lives of birds, plants and trees in the hot weather for saving the nature and natural winds.

Meanwhile, birds’ lovers are worried about the health of their pet birds and other domestic animals as feed and medicines are unavailable due to the lockdown.

A resident of Dadu Imdad Ali Channa, who was seen taking his parrot on a bike to a veterinarian’s clinic, said his pet parrot was suffering from ill-health and that he was unable to ensure immediate treatment due to the ongoing lockdown.

“If I could not find a veterinary doctor, my parrot can survive no more”, he said in a grief-stricken voice.