Wyvern

Where have the sparrows gone?


Lazy Sunday afternoon, out with Parents for lunch. We are at a restaurant on CMH road. Looking out the window, my mum spots a few mynahs in a tree just outside. She’s excited to see a hatchling amongst them. That’s when I ask my parents, when is the last time that they had seen a sparrow in our city. Unless you’re travelling outside the city, far away, I don’t think there are any more sparrows left in the city. Where have the sparrows gone?

There are plenty of changes around the city, many trees being chopped away - all in the name of development or evolution of the city. But at what price?

There is the construction of the metro line. It has pretty much ruined the city. Many trees have been trimmed down to its trunk. When I mentioned this to a friend, he condescendingly said one could not expect the progress of urbanisation without a cost. Due to some person(s) short sightedness in the planning for our city towards this so called (fucking) Growth, we are paying a dearer price just so that he/they can make an opportunistic gain. Okay one might say that with the metro line, it will be an efficient transportation system that would ease the pressure on other road transport, bringing tranquillity back. Are they certain the usage would be affordable to all, to ensure that maximum usage of this metro line is utilised. Assuming that this metro line is efficient in costs and attracts enough commuters, what if to maximise gain they opt for inferior products and fuel alternatives which invariably lead to further harm to our environment – pollution. Now the consultants, you may say, have already calculated the amount of emission and what is acceptable in today’s world - as the variables (like the trees) are off-setting this emission. Have they taken into account what would be the scenario once the trees are cut, what would be the acceptable emission then? Enough of badgering of the yet to be completed metro line. Let’s move on...

What about the roads that we drive/ride on? We want less traffic so we can get to work on time – which never really happens. They are expanding roads in most parts of the city. Obviously more trees are being chopped down. What used to be a Garden City is now only a concrete jungle. Get a bad spell of rain, many trees fall over. What else would expect? Their roots have been cut. Then they blame the government department on poor maintenance. Everyone is just so quick to judge and point out the flaws. Sadly, no one is thinking about replacing the tree that fell. How about growing another one? Plant a sapling. Does that even cost much? I’m sure an individual (like myself) would end up spending more on a “quiet” night - on drinks! Are we getting that so self-absorbed and selfish that we just ignoring everything and everyone?

I read an article just the other day, in the funny papers, that a few people got the trees trimmed to nearly half their size so they could have a better fucking view from the balcony of their apartment. Seriously, I don’t get it. Isn’t anyone thinking of OUR future anymore? We do talk about it and sign up for various awareness campaigns on social networking websites. But honestly, what good does that do? I’m not saying I do anything. Fuck, all I am doing is typing this up on my blog (one could probably argue that I am increasing my carbon footprint). Well, I am simply speaking my mind. I think we all need to take an initiative. Not wait for some corporate event to tell us what to do. Let us start by doing something around our neighbourhood. The streets are nowhere close to what they were 10-15years ago. Why don’t we try to bring that back. Make our home and its surroundings a better place. Then moving on to “saving the world”, one small step at time. That’s all it takes. Maybe a couple of hours a month or in a quarter.

I know this may seem all talk from my side as well. Atleast, I am talking about the change and attempting to do something about it. Well... what about you? I leave you with the question:

Where have the sparrows gone?