Koppal: Teacher, kids put up waterpots on trees for birds

KOPPAL: A teacher and a group of four students of Sarvodaya High School in Hanumasagara of the district have been showing their love for birds by attending to their food and water needs during summer.
Every morning, they go around the village to hang waterpots on trees and also fill them with foodgrains and water. Over the last three summers, they have hung waterpots to over 60 trees as a ritual.
Raghavendra Ilagera, social science teacher at Sarvodaya High School and the catalyst for the initiative, told TOI that their gesture started in 2019.“We used mud pots in 2020 summer, but realised that they were heavy for tree branches because of which they were falling down. This year, we have used boxes made of oil tins which are good enough to store water and grains,” he said.
The teacher added that he is joined by a group of four nature-loving students during holidays. “Earlier, the group had 8-10 students. Though I spend money from my pocket, some elected representatives and traders contribute for grains,” he added.
Students Sanjeev Kulkarni and Husain Amingad said that they source oil tins from market. After washing them thoroughly, they cut and fold the sheet so it holds water and grains.
Other students Amit Badiger and Shivaraj Bhovi said that number of birds arriving in the region has increased after they started placing grains and water. “In the begining, we had kept only one tin pot for trial, and seen it attracting birds,” they said.
Ilagera said that his team walks away from the trees soon after filling pots with water and grains so that the birds are not disturbed.