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Glassfacadebldgsaresmallbirdsgraveyards:expertsMumbaiMirror
GLASSFACADEBLDGSARESMALLBIRDS
GRAVEYARDS:EXPERTS
ByViratSingh,MumbaiMirror| Mar16,2014,12.00AMIST
It'sWorldSparrowDaythisweek,andNatureForever
Societyisurgingarchitectstoplanfornestingsitesforthe
birdswhiledesigningbuildings.
Inanattempttoarrestthedownwardspiralinthecity's
sparrowpopulation,architectsandtownplannersare
lookingtotakealeafoutofconservationists'bookson
WorldSparrowDay,tobeobservedonMarch20,and
considermeasureswhiledesigningbuildingsthatwillnot
robthesesmallbirdsoftheirnestingsites.
MohammadDilawar,founderpresidentofNatureForever
LeadingthechargeisMohammadDilawar,founder
presidentofNatureForeverSocietythathasbeen
campaigningtosavesparrowsinthecity.
Societyiscampaigningtosavesparrows
Dilawar,whoaddressedacongregationonFridaythat
includedrepresentativesfromtheIndianInstituteofArchitects,townplannersandarchitecturestudentsweek
on'EcologicalImpactofModernArchitectureonSparrowsandotherBirds',saidglassfacadebuildingsare
provingtobeamajorthreat.
Heurgedarchitectstoselectivelyleavespacesandcavitieswhiledesigningtheirbuildings,keepinginmindthat
thereareover170birdsthatmakenestsincavitiesofbuildingsandhouses."Sparrowsandothersmallbirds
buildnestsincavitiestolayeggs,butnewerbuildingsaremadeofaluminiumcompositepanelswhichleaveno
cavities,thusaffectingtheirpopulation.
"Infact,thegroundshouldn'tbeconcretisedaswell.Thiswillmakeitpossibleforbirdstotakedustbaths,while
allowingrainwatertoseepinthegroundhelpingthewatertable,"saidDilawar.
HepointedtostudiesdoneintheUSAandothercountriesthathaverevealedlakhsofbirdsdyingeveryyear
aftercollidingwithglassfacadebuildings,astheglassistransparentorreflectiveandtheycannotdifferentiate
duringflight.
"Now,severalcountriesaretakingstepslikeinstallingadditionalshadesandcoveringtheglasswithdesigner
stickers.Duetolackofawareness,nofiguresareavailableforMumbaiwherebuildingsareincreasinglybeing
coveredwithglassfacades,"Dilawarsaid.
SinglingoutMumbaiites''fascinationwithmanicuredlawns'forcriticism,Dilawarsaidmostsuchlawnshave
exoticplantsandgrassesthatareunfitforthelocalbiodiversity."Thisisthereasonwhynobirdsorinsectsvisit
manyoftheselawns,whichlookbeautifulandgreen.Theselawnscaninsteadbeplantedwithindigenous
shrubs,grassandfruitbearingtreesthey'lllookasgood,"headded.
ArchitectAnandPalaye,chairman,IndianInstituteofArchitectswhoattendedDilawar'stalkattheRachana
SansadCollegeofArchitecture,said,"Somepointsmadearevalidandit'struethatthecity'ssparrow
populationhastakenabighit.Wewillraisethesepointsinourforumsaswell."
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/Mumbai/Others/Glassfacadebldgsaresmallbirdsgraveyardsexperts/articleshow/32094767.cms
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8/27/2016
Glassfacadebldgsaresmallbirdsgraveyards:expertsMumbaiMirror
RoshniUdyavarYehuda,whoheadstheRachanaSansadInstituteofEnvironmentalArchitecture,said,"We
havebeenappointedrecentlybytheStategovernmenttopreparearoadmapfortheimplementationofenergy
conservationbuildingcodes,andwewilltryandincorporateideasthatcanhelpsmallerbirds.Measureslike
leavingsmallcavitiesinsomeofthedeadwallswhileconstructingbuildings,wherebirdscouldnest,canbe
takeneasilyandwillnotrequiremajorchanges."
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/Mumbai/Others/Glassfacadebldgsaresmallbirdsgraveyardsexperts/articleshow/32094767.cms
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