Introduction: This is in accordance with my note Happy (?) New Year (http://mywilddiary.blogspot.com/2009/03/happy-new-year.html) dated 31st Dec '08.
Around 700-500 B.C: Valmiki wrote Ramayana.
12th Century A.D: The Chinese invented fireworks
21st Century A.D: Indians burst fire crackers on Diwali, as they believe that Lord Rama was welcomed in the same manner, when he returned to Ayodhya after his 14 years of exile.
Strange, isn’t it? Now read this-
1. In 2008, Kolkata experienced the warmest winter in 60yrs. Similar stories from many other cities.
2. Feb 2008: Temperatures in Mumbai plumett to below 10 degree C. Nearly unheard of in the past.
3. 2009 was one of the driest years in India with rainfall occurring infrequently and irregularly. Agriculture at stake.
4. Nagpur reported failure in blooming of oranges on account of abnormally less rainfall- another uncommon occurrence.
5. The most recent of all disasters- parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh & Goa flooded in Oct ’09.
This is one endless list of oddities!
Now isn’t this strange? It isn’t! Why? What else would you expect when we manipulate with the earth’s climate patterns; the way we did with our own mythology…only to meet our luxuries, our pleasures? So what’s the fate of our future? Aah! I just heard a boom outside my window!
Wake up! Climate change is real. Climate change is happening.
Even then, if today you burst a cracker and burn yourself up; I don’t care! What I care for is that the planet too will burn with you.
If today, you burst a cracker and get hearing impaired; I don’t care! What I care for are those around, whom we fail to understand. They can hear upto ten times better than us…I care for them.
If today, you burst a cracker and lose your vision; I don’t care! What I care for are those of your age, who lose their childhood; who lose their eyes, their limbs…or themselves, while making crackers for you.
As Channel V very fittingly put it up last year, “Diwali is a festival of light and not of sound”. Let it be so.Those who intend to stand by the message may well remove the ‘?’ from the title. For the rest- uncaring and sceptical types- I’ve just this one question to ask- “If you don’t care for the environment, to which planet do you belong?” (courtesy Greenpeace)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Harsh Realities- an insight into Speciesism
Today the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Census kickstarted in Nagpur. And, Mother Nature, I reckon, chose this as an opportunity to teach me a lot more than just tracking a bird; to make me understand the harsh realities of the speciest society we live in, and what lies ahead in the fate of the victims of speciesism.
To hell with those who invented the word ‘humanity’ and to hell with the makers of the dictionary who assigned it the meaning ‘sympathy & kindness’. Humans, by nature are dominant and tyrannical. In its true sense, ‘humanity’ should ideally mean ‘domineering, devastating and destructive’. Here’s how I justify that through three misadventures of this fateful day.
Misadventure # 1: We were en route to Bhivapur- a village on Umrer Road, where we to start our search for the GIB. The highway wasn’t calm, but doves of all 4 species found in Nagpur flew onto it to peck or court, and flitted away just on time. The jeep behind us was honking. And one oblivious Red Collared Dove landed on the road ahead. We slowed down, and the jeep kept honking. In no time, it overtook us with a zoom…and white down feathers; many of them, frantically floated, searching for their owner, who they knew not, had started its flight towards heaven sans them.
Misadventure # 2: After a futile search at Vakeshwar, we decided to check on an unconfirmed GIB habitat on the Umrer-Butibori bypass. On a hillock at Umrer Road, we spotted a Great Horned Owl perched…unpeacefully. Reason? Three young men were attempting to capture it. The owl had taken cover in a short tree. Pretending to be officials from the Forest Department, we took photographs and names of the men involved and waited till they were sent off. Meanwhile, the owl after preening, had flown away to seek shelter in the cliff. Its behaviour suggested it had probably sustained minor injuries due to the stones pelted at it.
We were just on time. Seconds later, and the planet would’ve lost a precious denizen. More so, a precious resident for Umrer as it rids the farmers’ fields of rodents- a thought that seemed way beyond their understanding. People like us who protect wildlife for ethical reasons, had the feeling that an owl who had nothing to do with the street he overlooked; who knew nothing of the myth (read- crap) about Laxmi; who only wanted to have his world in an isolated cliff, feasting on all that he liked- was prized at lakhs of rupees at local / national markets for the (un)holy sacrifice to Goddess (?) Laxmi. Anyway, at the end of the day, the Great Horned lived to see another day. Wish the Russell’s Viper shared his fortune…
Misadventure # 3: Following local knowledge that the Hoom was mostly seen in the afternoon, we were back at Vakeshwar before evening. Fruitless, as it had seemed throughout the day, we had just withdrawn our search when we were alerted by the words, “Maaro! Lo maaro usko” By the time we turned around, three blows of a stick with an iron tip, had already been struck. We shouted to stop, horrified at the sight of the merciless final blow. “Kya hai?”..”Saanp”, wasn’t shocking to hear the simplicity with which it was said by the farmer. I immediately jumped to the spot. Dismal! “Russell’s Viper”, I said to Rohan and Haseeb in utter dismay. The following minutes passed in negotiating with the farmers. The snake wriggled its tail a bit…It was living to die. We tried all possible, polite explanations and when things turned sour, Rohan spoke his heart out. “Tum jaison ko goli se maar dena chahiye.” We had to reverse. Knowing they are pantheists, the least I could say before retreating was, “Shaap lagega aapko.”
I found nothing wrong in what Rohan said. What the farmers did was not an act of self-defence. It was tyranny, nothing else. The man who knew he was at least a hundred times taller than the little ‘creep’ that had crept in (only to indirectly help him) had his chance of expressing dominance over the fiercest snak which undeliberately kills over 7000 people a year in India. Three blows was all he needed. Since he had spotted it resting harmlessly, he could’ve scared it away; but wouldn’t that be too kind of a speciest? Even more disturbing is the thought of imagining the number of snakes which meet the same fate.
All the way, Rohan echoed, “In jaison ka koi ilaaj nahi. Yeh log laaton ke bhoot hai.” I agree. Things won’t be any better, ten years down the line. Speciesism won’t end. Casteism almost has, raceism will; simply because the victims can speak out. Speciesism can’t…not until we see an extinction of Homo sapiens.
P.S. Rohan & I abused a man for kicking a dog…Some things never change, you see!
To hell with those who invented the word ‘humanity’ and to hell with the makers of the dictionary who assigned it the meaning ‘sympathy & kindness’. Humans, by nature are dominant and tyrannical. In its true sense, ‘humanity’ should ideally mean ‘domineering, devastating and destructive’. Here’s how I justify that through three misadventures of this fateful day.
Misadventure # 1: We were en route to Bhivapur- a village on Umrer Road, where we to start our search for the GIB. The highway wasn’t calm, but doves of all 4 species found in Nagpur flew onto it to peck or court, and flitted away just on time. The jeep behind us was honking. And one oblivious Red Collared Dove landed on the road ahead. We slowed down, and the jeep kept honking. In no time, it overtook us with a zoom…and white down feathers; many of them, frantically floated, searching for their owner, who they knew not, had started its flight towards heaven sans them.
Misadventure # 2: After a futile search at Vakeshwar, we decided to check on an unconfirmed GIB habitat on the Umrer-Butibori bypass. On a hillock at Umrer Road, we spotted a Great Horned Owl perched…unpeacefully. Reason? Three young men were attempting to capture it. The owl had taken cover in a short tree. Pretending to be officials from the Forest Department, we took photographs and names of the men involved and waited till they were sent off. Meanwhile, the owl after preening, had flown away to seek shelter in the cliff. Its behaviour suggested it had probably sustained minor injuries due to the stones pelted at it.
We were just on time. Seconds later, and the planet would’ve lost a precious denizen. More so, a precious resident for Umrer as it rids the farmers’ fields of rodents- a thought that seemed way beyond their understanding. People like us who protect wildlife for ethical reasons, had the feeling that an owl who had nothing to do with the street he overlooked; who knew nothing of the myth (read- crap) about Laxmi; who only wanted to have his world in an isolated cliff, feasting on all that he liked- was prized at lakhs of rupees at local / national markets for the (un)holy sacrifice to Goddess (?) Laxmi. Anyway, at the end of the day, the Great Horned lived to see another day. Wish the Russell’s Viper shared his fortune…
Misadventure # 3: Following local knowledge that the Hoom was mostly seen in the afternoon, we were back at Vakeshwar before evening. Fruitless, as it had seemed throughout the day, we had just withdrawn our search when we were alerted by the words, “Maaro! Lo maaro usko” By the time we turned around, three blows of a stick with an iron tip, had already been struck. We shouted to stop, horrified at the sight of the merciless final blow. “Kya hai?”..”Saanp”, wasn’t shocking to hear the simplicity with which it was said by the farmer. I immediately jumped to the spot. Dismal! “Russell’s Viper”, I said to Rohan and Haseeb in utter dismay. The following minutes passed in negotiating with the farmers. The snake wriggled its tail a bit…It was living to die. We tried all possible, polite explanations and when things turned sour, Rohan spoke his heart out. “Tum jaison ko goli se maar dena chahiye.” We had to reverse. Knowing they are pantheists, the least I could say before retreating was, “Shaap lagega aapko.”
I found nothing wrong in what Rohan said. What the farmers did was not an act of self-defence. It was tyranny, nothing else. The man who knew he was at least a hundred times taller than the little ‘creep’ that had crept in (only to indirectly help him) had his chance of expressing dominance over the fiercest snak which undeliberately kills over 7000 people a year in India. Three blows was all he needed. Since he had spotted it resting harmlessly, he could’ve scared it away; but wouldn’t that be too kind of a speciest? Even more disturbing is the thought of imagining the number of snakes which meet the same fate.
All the way, Rohan echoed, “In jaison ka koi ilaaj nahi. Yeh log laaton ke bhoot hai.” I agree. Things won’t be any better, ten years down the line. Speciesism won’t end. Casteism almost has, raceism will; simply because the victims can speak out. Speciesism can’t…not until we see an extinction of Homo sapiens.
P.S. Rohan & I abused a man for kicking a dog…Some things never change, you see!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Greening Solutions- Let the Seed Sprout
Ever imagined a Nagpur sans oranges? Not until now, I bet. And from now on, you need not imagine as it is slowly but surely turning into a reality. With a failure in blooming of oranges coupled with the warmest and shortest winters in over 30 years, Nagpur is showing definite symptoms of a victim of anthropogenic (human induced) climate change. As the mercury maintains an arrogant stand close to 40 degrees C, and you beat the heat in the comfort of your ACs and water coolers (syn. to doing nothing!), here is your chance to bring in some hope; make an investment for the future.I have a neem tree in front of my house which bears fruits in summers. A sinful delight, it attracts bulbuls, mynas and koels. After a sumptuous meal, the birds visit my water cooler for a sip and subsequently vomit or defecate the seeds out. Here their role as seed dispersers (a job well done for thousands of years) ends. But having dropped the seeds on concrete, courtesy my home; the seeds do not sprout’ unlike what happens in nature where birds drop them on soil, until monsoon brings life to them. So, mine is a house which should not have been there, and so are many other Indian homes. This is where Nature hands over the baton to you. You simply have to collect the seeds, keep them dried till monsoon and eventually sow them. This is my 'Let the Seed Sprout' campaign. (read postscript)
At strategic locations, seed collections (for neem) can get higher than 50 (!), hence rooftops are the most convenient places to create nurseries. Birders to note- these are great haunts for wagtails. To make things ‘eco-friendlier’, you could devise methods for reusing or recycling water while watering the saplings. I placed a tankie under my water tank, wherein all the water that overflowed got collected in addition to some rainwater. This, I used to water my plants (it surely isn’t the most efficient of methods). Apart from this, some other precautions that need to be taken are-
1. only seeds of native trees should be planted; exotics and ornamentals to be avoided strictly.
2. seeds should be kept dry till monsoon.
3. having a variety in the nursery is preferred.
4. any kind of chemical fertiliser / pesticide should not be sprayed.
5. sapling plantation (after 1 year preferably, in monsoon) should be done in suitable areas and not more than 3 saplings of the same species should be planted in a small patch; variety preferred.
Rest all depends on your gardening skills, which in my case are poor!
So it is basically about adopting orphans who ask only for a few cups of water, some shade and lots of love and affection, yet in return; apart from all the uses you studied in school, they sequester carbon.
So go ahead! Make a meaningful contribution in stabilising our climate!
Postscript: I sincerely feel I'm not the only one doing something like this. There might be, and infact there are many people / organisations in India who are collecting dropped neem seeds and sowing them. However, I know none of them. So at the end of the day I do not wish to be dragged into a controversy regarding a stolen idea or publicising my work using other's ideas. I've just given it a name in order to brand it as a campaign and promote it for the cause of tackling climate change.
Happy (?) New Year
Introduction: Old article dated 31st Dec '08. Written on New Year's eve...
Today is 31st Dec 2008. Tomorrow a new year begins, bringing with it a new joy, new hopes, new desires, new ambitions, aspirations....You see, we're all greedy, that's why the list becomes endless! But look at them, living out there in the woods and the deserts; the lakes and the mountains; those with whom we share our planet. For them, tomorrow will be like any other day. Life is a challenge, and at every single second, they battle to win over it. Be it any time of the year, not sparing even the new year's day, they know, humans- rich and poor alike would encroach upon their domains. Be it any month of the year, they know they would have to be wary of gunshots and deftly concealed metal traps. And they've realised, those gunmen, if caught, would soon be out on bail, for committing what the law calls 'an unbailable offence' just to shoot 'em down some other day. Be it any day of the year, they know they would be admired in tiny cages (where they don't fit in) or relished on expensive crockery, more than being seen in the wild. Also be it any season, (they don't know!) the climate would fluctuate unimaginably!So new years come and go; but new hopes, new joys, desires, for them, are never born. Perhaps, we never let them take birth. Whenever I write or speak about Mother Nature's plight, these beautiful lines from Mr.Mike Pandey's film, 'The Vanishing Vultures' come to my mind- "Nature is resilient. Given a chance she will bounce back." Yes she will; we know it; if we give her that chance..to let that new hope take birth. And what's a better birthday, than any day in 2009?
Today is 31st Dec 2008. Tomorrow a new year begins, bringing with it a new joy, new hopes, new desires, new ambitions, aspirations....You see, we're all greedy, that's why the list becomes endless! But look at them, living out there in the woods and the deserts; the lakes and the mountains; those with whom we share our planet. For them, tomorrow will be like any other day. Life is a challenge, and at every single second, they battle to win over it. Be it any time of the year, not sparing even the new year's day, they know, humans- rich and poor alike would encroach upon their domains. Be it any month of the year, they know they would have to be wary of gunshots and deftly concealed metal traps. And they've realised, those gunmen, if caught, would soon be out on bail, for committing what the law calls 'an unbailable offence' just to shoot 'em down some other day. Be it any day of the year, they know they would be admired in tiny cages (where they don't fit in) or relished on expensive crockery, more than being seen in the wild. Also be it any season, (they don't know!) the climate would fluctuate unimaginably!So new years come and go; but new hopes, new joys, desires, for them, are never born. Perhaps, we never let them take birth. Whenever I write or speak about Mother Nature's plight, these beautiful lines from Mr.Mike Pandey's film, 'The Vanishing Vultures' come to my mind- "Nature is resilient. Given a chance she will bounce back." Yes she will; we know it; if we give her that chance..to let that new hope take birth. And what's a better birthday, than any day in 2009?
Saturday, August 30, 2008
(Green) Journey of a Lifetime
The plane landed with a bump, as I looked out of the window at buildings that looked so exotic. My feet paused for a while before they stepped for the first time on a land which was not mine; but eventually it happened in style as I thought about the two weeks that would follow.
I was at Beijing, not for the Olympics, but to attend the ‘Chinese Green Journey’ organized by the British Council (BC), China for which four Climate Change Awareness Ambassadors from each zone of India were selected, and I was the lucky one from West India. My colleagues from India included Aditya Kumar from Delhi, Angshuman Hazarika from Guwahati and Agastya Muthanna from Bangalore. All of us were dead tired after the three long air journeys we went through to reach our destination. Outside the airport we were received by Sophie Lashford from British Council, China and a student at the Cambridge University, who would lead us for the next fifteen days. After a brief rest at the hotel, Sophie and Steve Lipscombe (another British working with BC, China) took us for dinner to Hard Rock Café where we met our colleagues from Hong Kong. Next day onwards our Green Journey began in full swing and here’s an account of what we did in each of the cities we visited.
Beijing- On 14th July, young ambassadors (YAs) from different cities of China namel
y; Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu and Guangdong (province) arrived at the hotel and we had lunch together. We Indians had our first Peking Duck, a speciality of Beijing. Despite getting a lot of help from Chan Yuk Pui (English name- Kurt), my HK friend, my first experience of handling the chopsticks turned into a huge failure. In the evening, Mrs. Rebecca Nadin and Mr. Robin Rickard briefed us about the Green Journey programme; which was followed by a few educational games which we were to play with the public, the next day. The following morning, we visited the National Climate Centre, where Prof. Zhong, Chief Scientist, gave us a lecture on climate change and Madamme Zhou from the 
Beijing Green Olympics committee gave a presentation on the Green Olympics. After this we had a vegetarian eco-lunch and left for the Beijing Planetarium. At the planetarium, we played games on ‘Food Mile’ and a ‘Complete the sentence’ game and distributed eco-friendly pencils. Whichever city we went to, we carried our ‘Green Tree’ with us. People were asked to cut paper (British Council office papers which were re-used) in the form of leaves, write down their opinion about Climate Change and stick them on the ‘tree’. The Food Mile game which made people aware about how imported food items damage the environment was my favourite. In the evening we did some shopping at the Silk Market and later dined at Pizza Hut. After dinner I came across an Arctic fox muffler and a Snow leopa
rd fur 
coat on sale at a supermarket for 3000 yuan and 50000 yuan respectively! My first tryst with China’s illegal wildlife trade. (for more on this issue read next article)
On 16th July, we visited the energy-efficient building of Tsinghua University and went to Beijing’s most popular tourist attraction- the Tiananmen Square and the adjoining Forbidden City. The monuments at the Forbidden City showcase Chinese architecture at its best.
Shanghai- We reached Shanghai by train on the morning of 17th July and straightaway headed for the BC office for a press conference. YAs from different places shared their opinions about Beijing with the media. Angshuman represented India. At noon, we visited the eco-building at Xinzhuang Industrial Park. There was a guided tour at the eco-building and a presentation explaining the eco-friendly features of the building. In the evening we left for Chong Ming island, which is an hour’s ride from Shanghai by ferry. Next day, 18th July, was my s
eventeenth birthday, and one I can never forget. Early morning we visited Chong Ming Dongtan Nature Reserve, a wetland committed to the protection of migratory birds. Though it was not the right season for twitching, walking on the marshes and watching crabs and mudskippers had its own fun. A perfect start to my birthday! At the head office of the nature reserve, we watched a documentary on bird conservation. The big problem with the film- it was in Chinese without English sub-titles! At noon, we ferried back to Shanghai. It was dinner time and little did I know that there was a surprise in store for me! Post dinner, two birthday cakes awaited to be cut by Chan Kai Lap (Kenny from H
K who was the other birthday boy!) and I. According to Chinese culture, if you eat noodles on your birthday, your life becomes as long as a strand of noodles. So, following the tradition, Kenny and I ate noodles too! It was a special day, which I celebrated with my special friends.
On 19th July, we collected tips on environmental protection form the people of Shanghai at East Nanjing Road and distributed eco-friendly pencils.
Chongqing- We reached Chongqing at around 19.00 hours on 20th July after a tiring 29-hour train journey. Next morning we had a grand media conference at Intercontinental Hotel. The event, that became the start attraction was our eco-fashion show. Girls from our gang looked
pretty as they walked on the ramp, dressed in costumes made out of recycled materials. The very next day, the news appeared in many local dailies. Thereafter we visited the Haishi Eco-park, once a barren wasteland, which is now a stunningly beautiful landscape, all thank
s to its creator. Planting trees in that amazingly beautiful park delighted us all. The dinner of that day is worth mentioning. ‘Hot Pot’, Chongqing’s speciality has a huge ‘pot’ filled with boiling hot, spicy curry. Chicken, pork, beef, mushrooms and vegetables have to dipped first into the curry and the into sesame oil. What next? Put it straight into your mouth and say, “Yummy!”
The demonstrative eco-farmland (where we went the following day)
which uses methane as its 
prime source of electricity and the sewage treatment plant provided us with a good learning experience. After working throughout the day, one seeks entertainment too. So there we were, partying at Man Jiang Hong, a floating restaurant on the Yangtze River. We played games, sang songs and had loads of fun!
On 23rd July, before we bade goodbye to Chongqing, we attended a lecture at the Chongqing CDM Centre. Just a few minutes after the lecture began; all I saw with my sleepy eyes was a bunch of sleeping chinkies! To add to our agony, the lecture was in Chinese! So I did not have to think twice before dozing off!
Guangzhou- On 24th July, at noon we arrived at Guangzhou and after ha
ving lunch we moved to the BC office (need I mention the purpose of visit?). The media had gathered in good numbers. BC staff briefed the media about the Green Journey programme and ex-YAs from Guangzhou shared their experiences with us. Interviewers moved here and there taking our interviews. I was interviewed by Guangzhou TV and Guangzhou English Channel. To introduce the concept of Food Mile to the press, we organized a group-fruit salad-making competition. Next day we visited the Likeng Waste Incineration 
Plant which is the only facility in Guangzhou that incinerates waste to produce electricity; and attended a lecture on rising sea level and its effects on Guangzhou. On our way to the Likeng Plant, I saw restaurants openly selling snake meat, turtle meat and reef fishes. The people of China need to be alerted of the adverse effects, these delicacies have on eco-systems. 
Next day, we traveled to Dongguan (approx. 2 hours drive) by bus to visit the Guanyin Mountain Tree Museum which gives an insight of past climate records and its effects on the natural vegetation of South China. Thereafter we left for Hong Kong which is another 2-hour from Dongguan by road.
Hong Kong- On 26th July, a grand dinner at the Mandarin Oriental welcomed us to Hong Kong.
Vietnamese Spring Roll, Butter-garlic Chicken wings, Salmons…Ah! It was so yummy!
27th July was the best day of the Green Journey. It was an activity day at Ark Eden on Lantau Island. Ark Eden is an eco-cottage in the making and its owners, Mrs. Jenny and Mr. Dave are two very dynamic people. They are old but still too young! Mrs. Jenny taught us about the native and exotic trees of Lantau and asked us to jot down methods for using oil judiciously in order to avoid an oil crisis in future; while Mr. Dave imparted his knowledge of composting and resource management. Later, at noon we trekked to the top of a hill to plant a few native trees.
Next day, we attended lectures and presentations at the Hong Kong Observatory, City University of Hong Kong and CLP’s Castle Peak Power Station. All the slideshows were interesting, though they all provided nearly the same facts. In the evening, we went to Hong Kong Wetland Park, which has excellent facilities for educating the public about the importance of wetlands and other eco-systems.
The following day was the last day of our Green Journey, yet our activities went on with inexhaustible spirit. In the morning, we paid a visit to Lamma Power Station, the only wind power station of Hong Kong. From noon to evening we had our last press conference (where I represented India) and the final debriefing at the BC office. Thereafter we left for ‘The Peak’ for a final get-together and a farewell dinner. For us Indians it was a very special dinner. The reason being; they served us Tandoori Chicken! Obviously, it was nothing close to our authentic Indian taste but we still relished it. It was fun to watch our Chinese friends eat the chicken and naan with forks and knives. It was a happy ending to our 15-day long, but still too short, Green Journey.
y; Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu and Guangdong (province) arrived at the hotel and we had lunch together. We Indians had our first Peking Duck, a speciality of Beijing. Despite getting a lot of help from Chan Yuk Pui (English name- Kurt), my HK friend, my first experience of handling the chopsticks turned into a huge failure. In the evening, Mrs. Rebecca Nadin and Mr. Robin Rickard briefed us about the Green Journey programme; which was followed by a few educational games which we were to play with the public, the next day. The following morning, we visited the National Climate Centre, where Prof. Zhong, Chief Scientist, gave us a lecture on climate change and Madamme Zhou from the 
Beijing Green Olympics committee gave a presentation on the Green Olympics. After this we had a vegetarian eco-lunch and left for the Beijing Planetarium. At the planetarium, we played games on ‘Food Mile’ and a ‘Complete the sentence’ game and distributed eco-friendly pencils. Whichever city we went to, we carried our ‘Green Tree’ with us. People were asked to cut paper (British Council office papers which were re-used) in the form of leaves, write down their opinion about Climate Change and stick them on the ‘tree’. The Food Mile game which made people aware about how imported food items damage the environment was my favourite. In the evening we did some shopping at the Silk Market and later dined at Pizza Hut. After dinner I came across an Arctic fox muffler and a Snow leopa
rd fur 
coat on sale at a supermarket for 3000 yuan and 50000 yuan respectively! My first tryst with China’s illegal wildlife trade. (for more on this issue read next article)On 16th July, we visited the energy-efficient building of Tsinghua University and went to Beijing’s most popular tourist attraction- the Tiananmen Square and the adjoining Forbidden City. The monuments at the Forbidden City showcase Chinese architecture at its best.
Shanghai- We reached Shanghai by train on the morning of 17th July and straightaway headed for the BC office for a press conference. YAs from different places shared their opinions about Beijing with the media. Angshuman represented India. At noon, we visited the eco-building at Xinzhuang Industrial Park. There was a guided tour at the eco-building and a presentation explaining the eco-friendly features of the building. In the evening we left for Chong Ming island, which is an hour’s ride from Shanghai by ferry. Next day, 18th July, was my s
eventeenth birthday, and one I can never forget. Early morning we visited Chong Ming Dongtan Nature Reserve, a wetland committed to the protection of migratory birds. Though it was not the right season for twitching, walking on the marshes and watching crabs and mudskippers had its own fun. A perfect start to my birthday! At the head office of the nature reserve, we watched a documentary on bird conservation. The big problem with the film- it was in Chinese without English sub-titles! At noon, we ferried back to Shanghai. It was dinner time and little did I know that there was a surprise in store for me! Post dinner, two birthday cakes awaited to be cut by Chan Kai Lap (Kenny from H
K who was the other birthday boy!) and I. According to Chinese culture, if you eat noodles on your birthday, your life becomes as long as a strand of noodles. So, following the tradition, Kenny and I ate noodles too! It was a special day, which I celebrated with my special friends.On 19th July, we collected tips on environmental protection form the people of Shanghai at East Nanjing Road and distributed eco-friendly pencils.
Chongqing- We reached Chongqing at around 19.00 hours on 20th July after a tiring 29-hour train journey. Next morning we had a grand media conference at Intercontinental Hotel. The event, that became the start attraction was our eco-fashion show. Girls from our gang looked
pretty as they walked on the ramp, dressed in costumes made out of recycled materials. The very next day, the news appeared in many local dailies. Thereafter we visited the Haishi Eco-park, once a barren wasteland, which is now a stunningly beautiful landscape, all thank
s to its creator. Planting trees in that amazingly beautiful park delighted us all. The dinner of that day is worth mentioning. ‘Hot Pot’, Chongqing’s speciality has a huge ‘pot’ filled with boiling hot, spicy curry. Chicken, pork, beef, mushrooms and vegetables have to dipped first into the curry and the into sesame oil. What next? Put it straight into your mouth and say, “Yummy!”The demonstrative eco-farmland (where we went the following day)
which uses methane as its 
prime source of electricity and the sewage treatment plant provided us with a good learning experience. After working throughout the day, one seeks entertainment too. So there we were, partying at Man Jiang Hong, a floating restaurant on the Yangtze River. We played games, sang songs and had loads of fun!On 23rd July, before we bade goodbye to Chongqing, we attended a lecture at the Chongqing CDM Centre. Just a few minutes after the lecture began; all I saw with my sleepy eyes was a bunch of sleeping chinkies! To add to our agony, the lecture was in Chinese! So I did not have to think twice before dozing off!
Guangzhou- On 24th July, at noon we arrived at Guangzhou and after ha
ving lunch we moved to the BC office (need I mention the purpose of visit?). The media had gathered in good numbers. BC staff briefed the media about the Green Journey programme and ex-YAs from Guangzhou shared their experiences with us. Interviewers moved here and there taking our interviews. I was interviewed by Guangzhou TV and Guangzhou English Channel. To introduce the concept of Food Mile to the press, we organized a group-fruit salad-making competition. Next day we visited the Likeng Waste Incineration 
Plant which is the only facility in Guangzhou that incinerates waste to produce electricity; and attended a lecture on rising sea level and its effects on Guangzhou. On our way to the Likeng Plant, I saw restaurants openly selling snake meat, turtle meat and reef fishes. The people of China need to be alerted of the adverse effects, these delicacies have on eco-systems. 
Next day, we traveled to Dongguan (approx. 2 hours drive) by bus to visit the Guanyin Mountain Tree Museum which gives an insight of past climate records and its effects on the natural vegetation of South China. Thereafter we left for Hong Kong which is another 2-hour from Dongguan by road.
Hong Kong- On 26th July, a grand dinner at the Mandarin Oriental welcomed us to Hong Kong.
Vietnamese Spring Roll, Butter-garlic Chicken wings, Salmons…Ah! It was so yummy!27th July was the best day of the Green Journey. It was an activity day at Ark Eden on Lantau Island. Ark Eden is an eco-cottage in the making and its owners, Mrs. Jenny and Mr. Dave are two very dynamic people. They are old but still too young! Mrs. Jenny taught us about the native and exotic trees of Lantau and asked us to jot down methods for using oil judiciously in order to avoid an oil crisis in future; while Mr. Dave imparted his knowledge of composting and resource management. Later, at noon we trekked to the top of a hill to plant a few native trees.
Next day, we attended lectures and presentations at the Hong Kong Observatory, City University of Hong Kong and CLP’s Castle Peak Power Station. All the slideshows were interesting, though they all provided nearly the same facts. In the evening, we went to Hong Kong Wetland Park, which has excellent facilities for educating the public about the importance of wetlands and other eco-systems.The following day was the last day of our Green Journey, yet our activities went on with inexhaustible spirit. In the morning, we paid a visit to Lamma Power Station, the only wind power station of Hong Kong. From noon to evening we had our last press conference (where I represented India) and the final debriefing at the BC office. Thereafter we left for ‘The Peak’ for a final get-together and a farewell dinner. For us Indians it was a very special dinner. The reason being; they served us Tandoori Chicken! Obviously, it was nothing close to our authentic Indian taste but we still relished it. It was fun to watch our Chinese friends eat the chicken and naan with forks and knives. It was a happy ending to our 15-day long, but still too short, Green Journey.
Next morning, on the flight, I woke up from sleep when I heard the attendant say, “Chinese Tea”. It was my last tryst with China; and as I finished the second cup (!), all my memories attached with China- memories of my dear Chinese friends who had been so friendly and helpful; memories of Sophie, our funny, loving and caring group leader; memories of Zhao Jie, our friendly and affectionate tour guide; memories of Michael (who was with us at Chongqing) who taught us how to eat the Hot Pot; and of course of Steve with whom we Indians had our first Chinese Tea. All these special people find a special place in my heart.
For more photographs log on to http://picasaweb.google.com/rohitchak77
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
China- A Threat to Wildlife
China is renowned worldwide for its illegal trade in wildlife products. Goods from all around the world are supplied to Chinese markets, where they fetch a high price. The sale of wildlife products poses a serious threat to eco-systems and is a cause of immense concern for wildlife conservationists across the globe. My trip to China, revealed just a bit of the so many anti-wildlife activities that happen each day in China.
These make-up brushes made of mink hair (as told to me by the saleswoman) were being sold at Beijing’s famous ‘Silk Market’. Minks belong to the family of weasles and are poached for their fur which is used to make coats.
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The most horrifying of all my revelations. These coats were for sale in a popular and also probably the oldest supermarket in Beijing. I took these photographs secretively with my mobile phone. I have no clue about the first one (top left), but the second coat (bottom) is undoubtedly an authentic Snow leopard fur coat, which cost a booming 50000 yuan (approximately 3 lakh INR). It is most probable that the Snow leopard has been shot somewhere in the Indian Himalayas and smuggled into China. The third photograph (top right) shows a dead Arctic fox, costing 3000 yuan (approx. 18000 INR) which is worn as a muffler! 
Hill Mynas are birds found in the Inidan Subcontinent and South-east Asia. Their excellent ability to mimic calls makes them vulnerable to poachers who cage them and earn a good income by smuggling them to China and South-east Asia.
This is why I hate the food of South China. Restaurants in Guangzhou openly sell snake meat, turtle meat, reef fishes and corals. The photograph on the top left (please click on image to enlarge) shows a few snakes kept in an aquarium, ready to be chopped for 500 yuan! The image to the right (please click on image to enlarge) is of the menu card of Pr
esident Hotel, Guangzhou. 
Bird’s nest (obtained from nests of Cave Swiftlets & Edible-nest Swiftlets) and Shark fin soup are popular Chinese delicacies. For the shark fin coup, sharks are caught in large numbers. Their fins are chopped off and they are dumped back into the sea. Once the fin is gone, the shark loses its ability to swim, and dies within minutes. The increasing demand for shark fin soup in Chinese restaurants has made many species of sharks endangered (including the Whale Shark). At the Bangkok airport, a packet containing 6 roasted Bird's nests cost 8400 baht (over 10000 INR)! The photograph to the right is of a coral polyp, which is another delicacy in China. If coral bleaching and pollution weren't enough, here comes another threat to the most fragile eco-system in the world! 
These make-up brushes made of mink hair (as told to me by the saleswoman) were being sold at Beijing’s famous ‘Silk Market’. Minks belong to the family of weasles and are poached for their fur which is used to make coats.+copy.jpg)
The most horrifying of all my revelations. These coats were for sale in a popular and also probably the oldest supermarket in Beijing. I took these photographs secretively with my mobile phone. I have no clue about the first one (top left), but the second coat (bottom) is undoubtedly an authentic Snow leopard fur coat, which cost a booming 50000 yuan (approximately 3 lakh INR). It is most probable that the Snow leopard has been shot somewhere in the Indian Himalayas and smuggled into China. The third photograph (top right) shows a dead Arctic fox, costing 3000 yuan (approx. 18000 INR) which is worn as a muffler! Hill Mynas are birds found in the Inidan Subcontinent and South-east Asia. Their excellent ability to mimic calls makes them vulnerable to poachers who cage them and earn a good income by smuggling them to China and South-east Asia.
This is why I hate the food of South China. Restaurants in Guangzhou openly sell snake meat, turtle meat, reef fishes and corals. The photograph on the top left (please click on image to enlarge) shows a few snakes kept in an aquarium, ready to be chopped for 500 yuan! The image to the right (please click on image to enlarge) is of the menu card of Pr
esident Hotel, Guangzhou. 
Bird’s nest (obtained from nests of Cave Swiftlets & Edible-nest Swiftlets) and Shark fin soup are popular Chinese delicacies. For the shark fin coup, sharks are caught in large numbers. Their fins are chopped off and they are dumped back into the sea. Once the fin is gone, the shark loses its ability to swim, and dies within minutes. The increasing demand for shark fin soup in Chinese restaurants has made many species of sharks endangered (including the Whale Shark). At the Bangkok airport, a packet containing 6 roasted Bird's nests cost 8400 baht (over 10000 INR)! The photograph to the right is of a coral polyp, which is another delicacy in China. If coral bleaching and pollution weren't enough, here comes another threat to the most fragile eco-system in the world! 
Although it’s not illegal to sell sea cucumber soup(left) and octopus meat(right) ; personally I’m against it as I have a feeling that it disturbs the underwater eco-system. Sea cucumbers caught in the Andamans, are illegally smuggled into China through the Nathu-la Pass.
With the illegal trade flourishing and extreme lack of awareness among Chinese citizens, there’s little hope of survival for our wildlife. Snow leopards, tigers, rhinos; all have already become (highly) endangered because of the trade. Sharks lie on the edge. Poaching marine turtles for meat or capturing them as pets is strictly banned; yet China doesn’t care!
I don’t have the right to blame everything on China, as people from every country (India included) contribute to the prospering of the trade, either by poaching or by consuming illegal products. It’s a problem of global concern. But together we all can make a difference. By boycotting tiger skins, bones and claws; by boycotting the snow leopard coat hanging in that wardrobe; by boycotting that shark fin soup…indeed, we can make a difference! No other message, apart from this one, being propagated by the TV channel Animal Planet describes our role in putting an end to the wildlife trade…
“If the buying stops, the killing can too!"
“If the buying stops, the killing can too!"
Postscript- My dear Chinese friends, please dont mind my words. Feel free to post your comments / compliments, your views, your opinions about this article. If you disagree with any of the points mentioned in the article you may write to me or post it on the comments section of my blog.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Seasoned Singers
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Come summer and the forest becomes a music room! Melodious voices coming from all directions, but nothing visible. After spending hours looking for that ‘Melody Queen’ (like the hero of an old Hindi film searching for the heroine singing the song!) you finally find it (or sometimes you don’t and simply give up the search) hidden deep in the canopy or foliage; partly visible. And surprisingly, its not a ‘Melody Queen’; it’s a ‘Melody King’. Yes it’s a male cuckoo. After spending an utterly silent winter, these seasonal as well as seasoned singers sing their love songs, originally composed by them, throughout the summer and monsoon months.
Cuckoos are extremely secretive birds but their enchanting voices drive any birdwatcher crazy. Some species closely resemble one another, making them difficult to separate in the field. But all have their own unique calls and in their world there are no ‘copy cats’ (mimics in other words). Cuckoos are parasitic, that is they lay their eggs on other birds’ nests. The fact that koels lay their eggs on the nests of crows is known to all.Getting back to the musical tale; the cuckoo that you are most likely to hear, sitting in your houses is the Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea). The all-black male has a sweet
‘ku-ooo... ku-ooo’ call which is repeated continuously in the summer months. The female, on the other hand, has a harsh and ‘domineering’ voice. Unlike other cuckoos, this species is not difficult to find and can be heard throughout the year (others are silent in winter). Another cuckoo, that you might find near your houses is the Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis), locally called Bhardwaj. It is a large, aggressive looking and non-parasitic (builds a nest of its own) cuckoo with a heavy booming voice. Though shy, it is commonly seen and heard (often in winters). Its chestnut wings contrasting with its black body give it a well-deserved name- Crow pheasant.
‘ku-ooo... ku-ooo’ call which is repeated continuously in the summer months. The female, on the other hand, has a harsh and ‘domineering’ voice. Unlike other cuckoos, this species is not difficult to find and can be heard throughout the year (others are silent in winter). Another cuckoo, that you might find near your houses is the Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis), locally called Bhardwaj. It is a large, aggressive looking and non-parasitic (builds a nest of its own) cuckoo with a heavy booming voice. Though shy, it is commonly seen and heard (often in winters). Its chestnut wings contrasting with its black body give it a well-deserved name- Crow pheasant.
The Common Hawk Cuckoo (Hierococcyx varius) is commonly heard in forests and well-wooded areas, but is not easily seen. More active in monsoon (when it often comes to the open to make a ‘guest appearance’), this bird is thought to be an indicator of the wet season. Its call can be described as a musical ‘pee-pee-ah…pee-pee-ah’ (interpreted as ‘brain-fever…brain-fever’, hence the common name Brainfever bird) which rises to a crescendo, slides down and the initial lines are repeated. Last summer when I was in Maneybhanjang in Sikkim as a part of an excursion, I used to wake up at four in the morning to do my ‘business’. It was then when another cuckoo, the Large Hawk (Hierococcyx sparverioides), a slightly larger cousin of the Common Hawk Cuckoo, would entertain me in that isolated hill city. Its call is similar to the Common Hawk, but breaks off suddenly while coming down the crescendo. That guy would keep me glued to the loo!
The Pied Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) is a black and white bird, with a short crest, which migrates to most of the country in summer. It is easily seen in wooded areas and sometimes even close to habitations. Its musical whistle, ‘piu-pi-pi-pi-piu’, repeated continuously, is a delight to the ears.The Eurasian Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is perhaps the bird from which the name ‘cuckoo’ has been derived. Its call, a plain ‘cuck-oo…cuck-oo’ is repeated monotonously. My very first sighting of this bird has been most memorable. It happened when my brother, I and another friend of ours; all three of whom were new to birding, had set off to Telangkhedi Lake in Nagpur. Suddenly this bird emerged from nowhere and left us 
with wide mouths and scratchy heads as we tried to identify it. But in the very next moment, the bird said “cuck-oo” and flitted away. Our doubt was resolved! Its more secretive cousin, and my personal favourite- the Indian Cuckoo (C. micropterus) is the most melodious of all the cuckoos I have heard so far. Its call can be interpreted in many ways (like ‘crossword-puzzle’ by Dr. Salim Ali) When I went to Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra to volunteer for the waterhole census, I spent the entire night listening to this bird and the Common Hawk Cuckoo. One gave me a ‘brain fever’, while the other cured it! I also saw a male courting a female at dusk from a close range; and that is when I realized how loud cuckoos actually are.
So far I have seen only two more cuckoos in my
life- the Drongo Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) and Grey-bellied Cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus). The Drongo Cuckoo is a special bird for all those lucky Nagpurians who had seen it at the Botanical Garden as it was a new record for our city. Its melodious whistle- ‘pi-pi-pi-pi-pip’, a collection of ascending notes is constantly uttered. I still remember the day when one of these birds, without any ‘stage phobia’ gave us a live performance. We gathered under it and recorded its call with our cell phones. Now it has become a famous ringtone! On the other hand, the Grey-bellied Cuckoo’s call is a loud ‘pee-pipeee’ in a somewhat complaining tone.
with wide mouths and scratchy heads as we tried to identify it. But in the very next moment, the bird said “cuck-oo” and flitted away. Our doubt was resolved! Its more secretive cousin, and my personal favourite- the Indian Cuckoo (C. micropterus) is the most melodious of all the cuckoos I have heard so far. Its call can be interpreted in many ways (like ‘crossword-puzzle’ by Dr. Salim Ali) When I went to Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra to volunteer for the waterhole census, I spent the entire night listening to this bird and the Common Hawk Cuckoo. One gave me a ‘brain fever’, while the other cured it! I also saw a male courting a female at dusk from a close range; and that is when I realized how loud cuckoos actually are.So far I have seen only two more cuckoos in my
life- the Drongo Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) and Grey-bellied Cuckoo (Cacomantis passerinus). The Drongo Cuckoo is a special bird for all those lucky Nagpurians who had seen it at the Botanical Garden as it was a new record for our city. Its melodious whistle- ‘pi-pi-pi-pi-pip’, a collection of ascending notes is constantly uttered. I still remember the day when one of these birds, without any ‘stage phobia’ gave us a live performance. We gathered under it and recorded its call with our cell phones. Now it has become a famous ringtone! On the other hand, the Grey-bellied Cuckoo’s call is a loud ‘pee-pipeee’ in a somewhat complaining tone.As winter ceases to recede, there is a lot of music in store for the next season. Thinking about the months to come, my enthusiasm goes high with the hope of seeing and hearing more of those musical tunes and their rightful owners. With an inborn singing talent, cuckoos indeed are wonders of the natural world.
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