CLEAN-India's New Initiatives Meghna Das & Deepti Gumber | Bird Watch | | Birds are the most ubiquitous of all organisms indicating their presence by way of their visible activities like fluttering, perching, hopping on the ground or by their various calls. Most of us do not realize their importance but they are an integral part of the ecosystem just as we are! They are indispensable as: Pollinators and Seed Dispersers like nectar sucking Sunbirds, fruit eating Parakeets and other birds
Natural Insecticides: Insectivorous birds like Drongos, Babblers etc help in controlling large populations of insect pests. They help us do away with harmful chemical insecticides!
Pest Controllers: Birds of prey like Owls hunt mice, rodents and keep a check on pest population.
Natural Waste Managers: Vultures, Crows act as efficient scavengers and feed on strewn garbage, which if left unattended could cause diseases.
Natural Fertilizers: Bird droppings (Guano deposits especially of water birds) have high nitrates and phosphates, which have a great commercial value as fertilizers!
Indicators: Birds are also called the Litmus paper of the environment e.g. If Black Winged Stilts are present in a water body, it is an indication that the water might be polluted! Birds in Danger
About 70% of birds are negatively affected due to deforestation, pollution, extensive use of pesticides, poaching, habitat fragmentation, e.g. the nest of Indian Edible-nest Swiftlet made out of its own saliva is eaten in many parts of the world! Dodo, Passenger Pigeons and other birds have become things of the past. If we don’t help these winged creatures, we will lose many more birds in the near future. Save the Aves Create bird refuges: Plant bird friendly trees /plants like Red Silk Cotton, Indian Coral, Peepal, Flame of the Forest etc. Install Bird Boxes, Feeders, Bird Baths, Duck ponds in your compound.
Adopt injured birds. Visit bird/animal hospitals.
Do not buy caged birds, exotic pets, products made of bird feathers, claws etc. Report the illegal sale to police.
Act against pollution, crackers, use of chemical insecticides etc. Enthuse others to join and make bird clubs to know more about birds, identify their problems and take remedial actions. | | Food Watch | | Have you ever wondered, why, of late, those green chillies in the market are so bright green? Packed ready-to-eat food is a respite for our fast paced lives but certain substances need to be added to improve the taste, the looks and most importantly the shelf life.
The simple reason behind the fact that we prefer ice-creams over milk is one word - flavour!
Ice cream contains 30% of untreated, non-filtered water; emulsifiers and dioxins, which is the most toxic, man-made organic chemical, being second only to radioactive waste in its toxicity.
Every consumer wants to get maximum quantity of a commodity for as low a price as possible!
About 30 percent of the food one eats daily is adulterated!
Label says No Preservative, yet the product is meant to last for 12 Months!
Adulterated food may be toxic and may deprive us of essential nutrients required for proper growth and development.
Access to nutritionally adequate and safe food is a right of each individual!
Food adulteration is punishable under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, amended in 1974 with a minimum 6 months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000/- which may be extended upto life imprisonment. | Food adulteration is the act of intentionally debasing the quality of food offered for sale either by the addition or substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredients. | Food Article | Adulterant | | Edible Oil | Argemone Oil | | Tea | Used Tea,Iron Flakes | | Milk | Starch,Water,Urea | | Pulses(Dal) | Kesari Dal | | Wheat,Bajra | Datura | | Rice | Rice Bran,Inferior Quality of rice | | Tumeric Powder | Metanil Yellow | | | Food Article | Adulterant | | Green Vegitables | Malachite Green | | Black Pepper | Papaya seeds | | Jaggery | Sodium Carbonate | | red chilli Powder | Rhodamine B | | Ghee | Dalda | | Butter | coaltar Dye | | How Can We Make a Difference? A vigilant consumer is the best safeguard against any fraudulent practice! Legislation to safeguard the interests of the public in this regard needs proper enforcement, but you can still complain to make a difference.
Some simple tests can be performed to check the authenticity of the product. (for details visit : www.cleanindia.org)
Such testing of food by consumers will put pressure on the government to enforce the laws much more stringently. In case of adulteration, inform the Department of Prevention of Food Adulteration in your city. Back to Contents |