National Bird Day Special: Meet Rajasthan's Suraj Soni Who Makes Houses For His Feathered Friends

Soni started the campaign 18-20 years ago to ensure that birds get a safe place and their nests do not get destroyed.

Jaipur: National Bird Day is celebrated every year on January 5 to raise awareness on the value of birds in the ecosystem.

The objective of the day is also to raise awareness on conservation of bird species affected by habitat destruction, lack of food options and climate change. On the special day, we introduce you to Jaipur bird lover Suraj Soni, who has taken up the task of making nests for birds after he saw them suffer. Soni has been alleviating the sufferings of birds in extreme heat, harsh winter and heavy rains with support from public for the last 18-20 years.

Birds in the grip of modernity, many species extinct

Soni says birds are struggling the most in the blind race of modernity and development. Big trees are being felled at an alarming pace not only in urban areas but also in villages. Due to this, our environment, ecological system is deteriorating. The birds are becoming homeless as their natural habitat, trees are being felled to make way for development. The situation is such that in the last 10-12 years, several bird species have become extinct in Rajasthan and more than a dozen are on the verge of extinction, he says. In order to alleviate the suffering of voiceless birds in extreme heat, harsh cold and heavy rains, a campaign was started 18-20 years ago to provide shelter to them.

Soni says he started the campaign 18-20 years ago to ensure that birds get a safe place and their nests do not get destroyed in heavy rains and storms. His effort is bearing fruit. So far, Soni's Jan Samasya Nivaran Manch, with the help of people, has installed more than 40,000 shelters for birds not only in Jaipur city but across Rajasthan. The organization provides free facilities to whoever needs it. Soni says bird houses resemble nests, though they are not natural. Waterproof ply and plastic rods are used to ensure that the bird houses do not get damaged in the rain.

Volunteers of Soni's Jan Samasya Nivaran Manch giving finishing touch to bird houses (ETV Bharat)

This is how it all

Soni says many years ago, a nest made on a tree fell down in a strong storm and a cat took away the fledglings. On seeing this, the idea of ​​making safe nests came to his mind. Soni then started the bird houses on walls. He makes sets of 2 BHK, 3 BHK and 4 BHK houses for the birds. First, the nests were made of coconut and later of small pots, but as the experiment did not succeed,. his outfit started making them of plywood. Soni says that the cost of making a nest for birds ranges between Rs 200 to Rs 800 per unit. "All this is being done with mutual public cooperation. Right now, the work of making nests is going on so that the birds can get a place to stay in this harsh winter. The houses being made are made of wood. The special thing is that whoever wants to put these houses on the wall of his house for the birds, they are given them free of cost," he says.

Bird houses on walls of a house in Jaipur (ETV Bharat)

Artisans make houses

Soni says people associated with Jan Samasya Nivaran Manch are engaged in the work of making houses. For this, first of all they collect ply board and mica and after that they mark a place and get the artisans to work there. The work goes on for three to four months during which houses for 12 months are made. If there is unused furniture left in the houses, then it is used to make the bird houses. Now several youth have started supporting the campaign. Soni says the mute creatures are the ones who are bearing the biggest loss of the glare of modernity. Earlier they were affected only by the weather, but now the deteriorating environmental balance has added to their struggles.