Summer days are going on and right now the heat is at its peak. In this scorching weather, rich and wealthy keep water in the refrigerator for themselves. 

That fact apart, many guys face scarcity of water and purchase it knowing not that this liquid made of a natural and chemical formula, H 2O, is need of life. It indicates that each of its molecules contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, connected by covalent bonds. 

So far humans have found ways to deal with scarcity of water. However, how difficult it must be for the tiny birds to get water in this summer whether in remote areas where rain-fed rivers and ponds have dried up. 

Everybody knows these speechless birds also feel thirsty as much as we humans do. Many Jain and Hindu community members place water pots on their rooftops to enable birds to drink it. Just a few days ago a video came on my WhatsApp in which a small bird was craving being thirsty. 

The bird fainted and fell on the ground due to her thirst and she had reached the verge of death.  

Whether or not this video was watched by the Principal of a state government run school-Utkramit Madhya Vidalaya, Jarmundi, Dumka district, Jharkhand, he has launched a campaign to provide water to birds. 

The initiative aims to ensure that birds have access to fresh water during the scorching summer months. The earthen pots, strategically placed on various trees, are replenished regularly by students and their parents. This initiative was the brainchild of Dr Sapan Kumar Patralekh. 

He launched the Fresh Water for Birds campaign. It has a simple modus operandi. First, he got earthen pots, and rope and mobilised his students to place them on trees. Dr Patralekh guided students and parents most of whom were Adivasi to keep these pots full of water every morning. 

Result?

“Birds fly and a couple of them were spotted gulping water from there”, said a student of the above school. Dr Patralekh who was not available for comment has won the hearts of people. “ 

He( Dr Patralekh)does every educational work through his mind and heart. I salute him”, said Seema Prasad,a senior executive of Jharkhand Education Project. 

Investigation revealed that Dr Patralekh had gained the nation’s attention by running classes for students on the side during Covid Bandh.

Dr Patralekh is also learned to be inspired by the new education policy of the Modi government. He had adopted the “blackboard model” to continue his teaching work with the help of pictures, thus ensuring that the children of his village could continue their studies without any hindrance. 

Now, Dr Patrakekh and his students are sweating going door to door to ensure earthen pots are packed with water for birds. 

This appears to be a superb teaching mechanism to make young students conscious about these speechless birds who too feel thirsty as much as humans do. 

Every viewer can do the same to take care of animals and birds.