Dear Editor,
Along north karanataka region, little Ashy crowned sparrows and brown shrike sparrows build their nests in houses of villages. Climate change has already caused their population to decline across the north Karnataka. But that’s not the only threat they face.Mercury pollution especially from North Karnataka power plants deposits into our soil and water, and can make its way to little Ashy crowned sparrows and brown shrike sparrows habitat, forming toxic methylmercury. This gets into the birds’ bloodstream from their food supply, negatively impacting the survival of their nests. The Environmental and Forest ministry should strengthen and update the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for power plants otherwise Methylmercury impacts not only sparrows but also other wildlife species reproduction, growth and development, behavior, immune response, and overall survival.
VijayKumar H K
[email protected]
Raichur, Karnataka
Environmentalist
