caring for flora and fauna ~ ethnic cleansing and fitting spikes to trees to protect cars

In Cinema and in story books, we have read about some being so calm, peace-loving, caring for humanity and doing lot for promoting peace ? is all that true – or are humans cruel ? to fellow humans and more to the flora and fauna around them.

In the modern developed World, there are so many selling arms and in places, people engaged in ethnic cleansing? Do they fail to recognise the inherent humanity of their victims, or do their acts represent an excess of morality, morality that can be satisfied only by punishing a fellow human? What’s the motive that spurs on this violence?  And before you fall victim to those propagating peace, do not fail to see their ulterior motive of proselytization !  There is also much talk about killer robots that can attack without a human operator ! there are many theories and stories about these  dangerous tools. Such  autonomous weapons ‘can be weapons of terror, weapons that despots and terrorists use against innocent populations, and weapons [that can be] hacked to behave in undesirable ways’.

History reveals many ugly sides too – there were those European wars of religion, a series of savage religious wars waged in Central, Western and Northern Europe from 1524 to 1648 following the onset of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. The wars were strongly influenced by the religious change of the period and the conflict and rivalry that it produced. Nevertheless, the combatants cannot be neatly categorised by religion, nor were they divided by religion alone, and in most cases religion was only a part of the causes of the wars.

~ and in this beautiful World, there are some to whom animals (be it small pets, birds and more) are passion of their life.  They love, live with them and laugh with them. Back home, landscape of Shekhawati region is dotted with khejri (Prosopis cineraria) trees, which can survive in the worst of the droughts and are an important source of fodder for camel and goats.  Banni tree, considered a symbol of courage, peace and prosperity, is the State Tree of Rajasthan and newly formed Telangana. The bark of vanni  tree is useful in treating piles, worm infestation, muscular and joint pains. Used as antidote for snake or scorpion-bite poisoning. Paste of flowers with sugar is given to prevent unexpected abortions. The leaves and fruits are used to cure nervous disorders. The smoke by burning leaves exposed in case of eye complaints.

In 1730 AD, a small village located 26 km south-east of Jodhpur in Rajasthan witnessed probably the first and most fierce environment protection movement in the history of the country. Amrita Devi of Khejarli village and her three young daughters laid down their lives to protect the sacred trees which the ruler of Marwar Maharaja Abhay Singh had ordered to be cut down for building his new palace. This inspired other members of the community and a total of 363 people sacrificed their lives in coming days trying to save the trees by hugging them while the king’s men chopped their bodies with axes. The ‘martyrs’ belonged to Bishnoi community and the trees which they were protecting were ‘Khejri’. In 1970s, this sacrifice became the inspiration behind the Chipko Movement. .. .. .. now you may be saddened reading this real incident in UK, reported in MailOnline.

In a particular area, people had expensive cars that were parked outside their houses and every morning they found them cluttered with bird droppings – humans being intelligent, thought that over and came with novel method of prevention that of fitting trees with 'anti-bird spikes' to stop pigeons relieving themselves on their vehicles. The spikes - normally used to stop birds settling on buildings - have been nailed to two beech trees in an exclusive suburb of Bristol. Several lower-hanging branches in the grounds of Essendene House and Heathfield House, near the city's famous Downs grasslands, have been fitted with the contraption.  They were fixed to branches overhanging a car park where numerous BMWs and Audis are parked to deter the creatures from defecating on their pricey cars.  The lethal-looking spikes have been criticised by environmentalists who claim the contraption makes it impossible for birds to rest or build nests in the trees.

A representative of Green Party is quoted as saying : 'I'm aware that the landowner might be legally within their rights to do this to the trees as they seem to be on private land. However, it does look bad and bad against birds.  'Whether allowed or not though, it looks awful and it's a shame to see trees being literally made uninhabitable to birds - presumably for the sake of car parking.

'Sometimes it's too easy to lose sight of the benefit that we all gain from trees and green spaces and from the presence of wildlife around us in the city.' One of those owner was clear that they had tried out things including keeping a wooden bird, but nothing worked and hence they decided that birds should not be sitting on trees under which they park their expensive cars – after all cars are more needed than the birds.

One tweeted it as a 'war on wildlife'.  Writing furiously : 'Now birds are not allowed in trees...?!'

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

19^th Dec 2017