Official urges Vizag residents to protect declining house sparrow population

Vizag officials urge residents to safeguard declining house sparrow populations, highlighting their vital role in agriculture and the environment.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Raghavendra Rao has called for the protection of house sparrows, describing them as vital “farmer friends” that have lived alongside humanity for thousands of years.

Speaking on Sunday morning following a 20-day conservation campaign, the ACP addressed a gathering beneath a 150-year-old banyan tree near the city railway station. The event, focused on the alarming decline of the small birds in urban areas. It also included a film exhibition and the distribution of bird nests.

Mr. Rao explained: “Sparrows were welcomed into human homes 10,000 years ago because they protect rice crops from pests. Our ancestors once hung rice bunches from roofs to feed the birds, modern life has broken this ancient bond.”

J.V. Ratnam, founder secretary of the Green Climate Team NGO, highlighted the environmental toll on the species. He pointed out that the rise of chemical pesticides 50 years ago, combined with the loss of traditional grass-roofed houses and shift to concrete buildings, left the birds nowhere to nest and very little to eat.

The sentiment was echoed by Shashiprabha, CEO of Sifa Trust, who stated that protecting these birds is the responsibility of mankind. “Sparrows are beneficial to us, and it is our duty to provide them with food, water, and safe nesting places,” she said.