There cannot be smoke without fire! True, when people are boiling, something is brewing. Let us see the background. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has contemplated a waste-to-energy (WTE) project at Kodungaiyur in crowded North Chennai. The Corporation has signed a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) with a company called ‘Resustainability for burning 1400 tons of non-biodegradable waste generated per day at a project cost of Rs 1026 Crores. The project will be implemented in 25 years under a Public Private partnership (PPP). For all this, the expected electricity generation is a meagre 21 megawatts, though the company claims to have cutting-edge Chinese technology! It reminds us of the famous idiom penny-wise, pound-foolish. Electricity production or garbage treatment, which is the key objective of this project? Apprehensions soared as the technology, according to people, will throw toxic pollutants into the air and water. For about 40 years, the residents have voiced their health concerns about the Kodungaiyur landfill in North Chennai. In a massive show of strength, the residents came together under the Federation of North Chennai Resident Welfare Associations on 13.4.25 to fight against the move. Going by the reports and records, it is evident that the residents won’t budge. The meeting resolved to hold a massive human chain protest on May 25. As usual, the authorities claim that environment clearance has been obtained from CPCB and TNPCB.

Though the company claims that the process is a ‘cutting-edge’ technology and non-polluting, when we burn the mixed waste, it is common sense that the smoke will carry pollutants, effluents will pour ash, and other chemicals. As of now, we have no clarity on this matter. There are two more points to note. One is burning the mixed waste accumulated at Kodungaiyur for 3 to 4 decades, and the other is about what to do with future dumping. People demand relocation of the dumping site to a remote place, but will that be a solution?  In Kodungaiyur, lots of cancer and other lung diseases have since been reported. It is a thickly populated area with about 38000 people per square km. Most of them are from the poor and middle classes. Under the circumstances, the best solution is to shift the landfill to a remote location far away from any human habitat and forests. Mixed waste should not be allowed in the existing landfills. Efforts must be made to replicate the Biomining project in South Chennai. The municipal corporation must enforce segregation at source as stated in the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016. Green and wet waste must be composted. Non-biodegradable waste has to be sorted, recycled, reused, and reduced.  Since the volume of waste generated is enormous in cities like Chennai and Bangalore, the Government needs to engage the services of experts and handle waste management scientifically and professionally. In a democracy, the voice of the people is the ultimate. The way residents stand up together in North Chennai is a classic example of how genuine concerns should work, and bring change

Interesting! Birders cannot click photos from hides anymore in Nainital. Is it good or bad?

There are two types of bird lovers: those who are interested in watching birds and those who are interested in capturing birds through their lens. Both are right in their way. At Sattal in Nainital district, both are quite common. There is an area called ‘Studio area’ that is adjacent to the lake. This is a hotspot, as mentioned in eBird India, a global portal, with more than 260 species of birds recorded here. At this place, bird photographers find ample opportunities to photograph birds close in their natural settings.  Sattal gives ample opportunities to watch colourful birds. One way is to walk around and look for rare birds. Or, if someone is interested, he may hire a bird hide. Many private agencies provided the facility. In both cases, the local guides assist photographers in identifying the bird species.

The Forest Department has recently banned hide photography and started taking action under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. While bird hide photography itself isn’t outright banned in Uttarakhand, using playbacks to lure birds for photography is considered illegal under the Wildlife Protection Act, as it constitutes baiting. Complaints about feeding birds with meat entrails were also coming up. These were the reasons why the forest department was tightening its belts. Sattal is home to about 400 bird species, which means about one-third of India’s bird species are found there. I used to try all methods in Sattal, such as visits to birding hotspots, casual bird walks, hide photography, and tracing targeted birds. Bird-watching is exciting and enriching. But I never agree with disturbing wildlife or teasing them. While hide photography per se is not a criminal act, though feeding the birds for photography¹ is not in good taste. More so, when they are fed meat, it is an obnoxious act for commercial purposes.

I have seen a few guides who used playback recorders and mimicked the voice using birding apps. But apps like Merlin by Cornell Lab, i-Naturalist, and eBird are useful tools for guiding bird researchers.  However, Sattal guides are not that bad. Barring a few commercial people, many are leading normal lives. Like Bharatpur or Sultanpur National Parks, the bird guides do not lead great lives. Birding is a seasonal activity in many birding spots. The guides are involved in farming or other traditional activities during the off-season. I met a birding guide who runs a Tea shop near Bharatpur National Park. He had excellent knowledge about birds and their behaviour.  To streamline the birding trails, the guides must be certified by the forest department to provide genuine guidance. They must be taught the dos and don’ts, and make the guiding profession more eco-friendly

1. A blue throated barbet is feeding on a papaya kept by hide manager ↩︎

The freedom for this country came at midnight, and perhaps that night marked the sacrifice of millions of freedom fighters. Paradoxically, the ‘freedom to destroy’ the 400-acre land at Kancha Gauchibowli of the University of Hyderabad at midnight was a conspiracy. Why JCBs chose midnight for their nefarious action is perhaps suspicious. Of course, the contractors were successful in almost shaving away 50 acres of green cover. The painful cry of peafowls woke up the social media. Hundreds of students were on their toes without realizing that they were going to be treated as criminals and fall prey to the lati charge of police for what ‘crime’? They were protesting to stop the state-sponsored crime of felling the trees. The purpose of the deforestation was to build an infotech park. The move to destroy the forests drew the attention of activists everywhere. Many activists raised concerns and held rallies in solidarity with the students. When pressure mounted from all quarters, the Supreme Court ordered the scrapping of the proposed infotech project. It was a blow to the Telangana Government, which is now contemplating turning 2000 acres of land into one of the world’s largest eco-parks, which will include the University of Hyderabad lands and Kancha Gauchibowli land. This means that the University near Kancha Gauchibowli will be shifted to a new location. What a clever move! What development or economic growth is proposed by such a move?

A natural forest does not mean an evergreen forest of tall trees with tigers and leopards roaming freely. In general, urban green areas are mini forests with smaller animals such as monitor lizards, monkeys, snakes, hares, and peafowls. They are scrub jungles with a unique ecosystem. There are shelters for several microorganisms, flora, and fauna.  The ridge in Delhi is a classic example. Fortunately, the central ridge forest has survived the Airport metro tunneling to date. But Delhi’s metro tunneling has interrupted underground aquifers. If not today, the environmental impact will be felt very soon. Perhaps Delhiites might wake up from their long slumber to realize that it is too late.  Here, in Hyderabad, the proposed eco park will not take into account the rocky natural habitat at Kancha Gauchibowli. However, the valiant war by the students deserves applause. One request at the end! The misleading AI generated videos may tend to derail a beautiful movement. We need to be cautious!