Top News

As Hyderabad wakes up to hotter mornings and harsher afternoons, one heartbreaking sight is becoming more common across the city: thirsty birds searching desperately for water. Sparrows sit with open beaks on electric wires, pigeons gather near leaking taps and crows hover around balconies hoping to find a few drops to drink. 

With rising temperatures, shrinking green spaces and disappearing water bodies, summer has become a season of survival not just for humans, but for birds too.

Surat’s beautiful answer to the heat

In the middle of this scorching heat, a heartwarming initiative from Surat, Gujarat, is showing how technology and compassion can come together for nature. Called Pakshi Jalsetu, the solar-powered water system has been specially created to provide clean and safe drinking water for birds during extreme summer conditions.

The project was developed by environmental enthusiast Dharnendra Sanghvi, who came up with the idea after noticing birds struggling to find safe drinking water during peak summer months. What began as a simple wish to help birds slowly transformed into an eco-friendly and sustainable innovation.

How the solar-powered system works

Instead of simply placing water bowls outdoors, the creators designed a vertical tower system where multiple earthen bowls are connected through a circulating water mechanism. Water stored at the bottom of the structure is pumped upward using a solar-powered motor and then flows continuously through the bowls.

A built-in filtration system helps remove impurities, while the constant circulation prevents the water from becoming stagnant. This keeps the water cleaner and reduces the risk of infections among birds. Since the system runs entirely on solar energy, it can function easily in open spaces without electricity connections.

Each tower reportedly costs around Rs 15,000 to build and is suitable for parks, public gardens and residential colonies where bird activity increases during hot afternoons. Organisers are now planning to install these towers at selected locations and encourage citizens to support more bird-friendly initiatives.

The real victims of rising temperatures

Every year, summers across India are becoming more intense. Trees are disappearing, lakes are drying up and cities are turning into concrete heat zones. While humans can escape indoors, birds have very little protection from extreme heat. Many suffer from dehydration and exhaustion during peak summer days, making them silent victims of climate change and rapid urbanisation.

Could Hyderabad start its own Pakshi Jalsetu?

Hyderabad too has been witnessing rising temperatures year after year. Areas once filled with trees and shaded spaces are rapidly changing, leaving birds with fewer safe places to rest and drink water.

Imagine solar-powered bird water towers near Tank Bund, KBR Park, colony parks, school campuses or apartment communities across Hyderabad. A simple initiative like Pakshi Jalsetu could not only help birds survive the brutal summer but also inspire people, especially children, to reconnect with nature and kindness.

Hyderabad has always been known for its warmth and community spirit. Initiatives like this remind us that caring for the environment does not always require massive campaigns. Sometimes, humanity begins with something as small as offering water to a thirsty bird during summer.