Guwahati, May 28 NNN : A research on sparrows has revealed the bird, once common across the urban landscape, are vanishing from relatively greener parts of India such as Assam. The causes have been identified as electromagnetic radiation from communication towers, use of leaded petrol and extensive use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture.
\n\u201cThe sparrows \u2013 both house and tree varieties \u2013 are becoming scarce, and this does not augur well for the environment,\u201d Prabal Saikia, chief scientist of Regional Agriculture Research Centre, said from Lakhimpur town in north-eastern Assam.
\nSaikia said he conducted his research in six districts besides capital city Guwahati. \u201cWhile the house sparrows are almost gone, the tree sparrows are surviving in sparsely populated area of eastern Assam,\u201d he said, adding thatched houses and traditional attachment to the birds were responsible for the tiny birds flapping about in those areas.
\nThe study is in the wake of a committee the Ministry of Environment and Forests had set up to study the possible impact of \u2018radiation from communication towers on wildlife, birds and bees\u2019. The committee is headed by Bombay Natural History Society director Asad Rahmani.
\nA similar study conducted by Punjab University said 50 foetuses of sparrows were spoilt within six minutes of exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone towers. Radiation also led to sparrows losing their sense of direction, revealed the study.<\/p>\n\n