By Anjali Singh
NOIDA: Residents of Sector 137, now carved in concrete, have a new hobby — putting up nests to attract birds.
They say a few dozens of these nests have made a difference. “I have seen many bird species in our sector, even sparrows that have dwindled in numbers in the last decade,” said Abhisht Kusum Gupta, a resident in the area.
It isn’t a mere treat for the birds, but also the children who have a new pastime in the city.
“Children took an active part in the initiative. Some of us bought these nests online, which cost us around Rs 300 while some were sourced from an NGO,” Gupta says, adding that around 30 nests have been put up in societies and trees in the sector.
“For birds, I think our sector has become their favourite resting point,” he says.
Other residents agree. “We have involved our children also in this initiative. This way children can develop connectivity with nature. We have been seeing a lot of birds that have made these nests their permanent home,” says Vikas Roy.
“We have a wetland coming up nearby, so we decided to put a few nests to make this area bird-friendly,” says Ruchi Farhad, also a resident. She was referring to the Noida Authority’s project to reviv a wetland and water bodies near Sector 137.
Ushakiran, the Noida-based NGO that works to empower children, supplied some of the jute nests to the residents.
NGO members say such initiatives help in conservation and involve children. “Children of Ushakiran made bird nests which were made from jute and dried grass placed on the trees... It was a great learning experience for the kids and a step towards environment conservation,” says Chhaya Sharma of the NGO.
