Shristi Mitraa SKY SAFETY MODEL (Public Awareness Campaign) Shristi Mitraa का SKY SAFETY MODEL (जन-जागरूकता अभियान)

Shristi Mitraa SKY SAFETY MODEL (Public Awareness Campaign)

Theme: Bird safety, rescue readiness, and responsible kite-festival practices during Makar Sankranti and the kite-flying season.

Purpose: “The sky also needs safety” — so our celebration does not become a hidden emergency for birds, and every locality moves closer to becoming a Bird Safe City.

Makar Sankranti is one of India’s most beautiful festivals. It celebrates the sun’s northward journey, fresh energy, new hope, and community joy. Rooftops fill with colorful kites, children laugh, families gather, and the sweetness of til-gud spreads warmth across homes.

But alongside this joy, there is a reality we often don’t notice: during kite-flying season, many birds get injured. Sparrows, pigeons, doves, kites (the bird), crows, parrots, egrets, and other species may suffer wing cuts, throat or leg entanglement, eye injuries, and severe shock. Some birds do not die instantly; they struggle for hours. Many of them can survive if they receive help quickly — and that is the most important point.

This is why Shristi Mitraa presents a simple, practical, and citizen-friendly framework called the SKY SAFETY MODEL. It is not a complicated government scheme. It is a public culture that can start from your rooftop and spread to your lane, your school, and your city — building a responsible festival mindset without killing the joy of celebration.

What is the SKY SAFETY MODEL?

The SKY SAFETY MODEL is a community-based, city-level bird protection and rapid response framework that aims to reduce bird accidents during kite-festival days, ensure timely first aid and rescue support, and build a long-term habit of responsible celebration.

Just as roads have traffic rules, the SKY SAFETY MODEL proposes that the “sky” deserves safety protocols too. The model is built on three pillars of action: Prevention + Quick Support + Community Participation.

Why do we need this model?

In many places, bird injury is treated as “small” or “unavoidable.” But birds are vital to ecological balance. They help control insects, spread seeds, support biodiversity, and act as environmental indicators. When birds disappear, our environment becomes weaker — and human health and livelihoods are affected too.

During kite season, many birds die not only from the injury itself but from delay. People may notice a bird and assume someone else will help. Some want to help but don’t know how. Some don’t know any helpline. Rescue networks often remain fragmented and volunteer-dependent.

The SKY SAFETY MODEL is designed to reduce this delay. It ensures that a citizen is never helpless: there is always a simple next step — a safe box, a local rescue point, and a helpline grid.

The SKY SAFETY MODEL: 5 Core Pillars (Explained Simply)

1) Bird Emergency Zones (BEZ) — “A Bird ICU in Every Locality”

Bird Emergency Zones (BEZ) are small, local “bird support points” that can be created at homes, shops, schools, housing societies, or community centers. A BEZ is not a hospital. It is a first-response safety point.

Think of a wounded bird on the road. If someone gently moves it to a safe, quiet place, controls bleeding at a basic level, prevents panic, and informs a rescue contact quickly — many birds can survive. The BEZ exists to make that first response easy and organized.

What can a BEZ keep ready?

• Clean cotton and a soft cloth/gauze
• Bandage or medical tape (basic)
• Antiseptic spray (if available)
• Disposable gloves (optional but helpful)
• A ventilated cardboard box (with small air holes) as a temporary shelter
• A small bowl (especially important in summer, still useful in winter)
• Shristi Mitraa Bird Helpline number and local rescue contacts

Important: A BEZ is not for untrained people to perform complex treatment. It is for providing safety, calm, and quick connection to proper help.

Benefits of BEZ:

• Fast shelter prevents further injury and panic
• Bleeding risk can be reduced before rescue arrives
• Local response time improves drastically
• Community confidence increases: “help is possible”

2) Silent Sky Hours — “Hours When the Sky Needs Calm”

Birds have peak flight activity during early morning and evening hours — especially 6–8 AM and 5–7 PM. These are the hours birds move for water, food, and return to nests. During these windows, the chances of collision and entanglement rise significantly if kite flying is intense.

Silent Sky Hours is a voluntary public advisory: avoid kite flying during these hours, or at least reduce it and increase caution. This is not an anti-festival message. It is a sign of maturity — celebrating with responsibility.

What communities can do:

• Display “No Kite Advisory” during these hours
• Teach children a safer time schedule
• Prefer mid-day kite flying when bird activity is comparatively lower

Small changes in timing can save thousands of lives across a city.

3) Eco Manja Regulation — “Make the Thread Safe”

The most dangerous element in kite season is lethal thread — often referred to as glass-coated or illegal manja. It is a threat not only to birds but also to humans, especially children and two-wheeler riders.

Shristi Mitraa appeals to every citizen:

• Do not use glass-coated or illegal manja
• Choose only eco-friendly and safer kite thread
• Request local retailers to stop selling harmful thread
• Support awareness drives for compliance and safety

The citizen version of Eco Manja Regulation is simple: “I will buy safe thread, and I will influence others to do the same.” When purchasing behavior changes, the market changes too.

4) School Sky Guardians Program — “Children Become Protectors”

Long-term change happens through schools. When children learn that birds share our world as living citizens of nature, they naturally develop compassion and responsibility. This transforms festival culture for years to come.

Under the School Sky Guardians Program, schools can:

• Create a “Sky Safety Club”
• Conduct a short session: “Bird safety during kite season”
• Teach children what to do and what not to do if they see an injured bird
• Organize poster competitions: “Bird Safe Sankranti”
• Host a “Bird Recovery Day” activity after the festival

Simple safety rules for children:

• Do not poke or throw stones at an injured bird
• Do not create noise or crowd around it
• Call an adult immediately
• Inform helpline/rescue support
• If a box is used, keep it quiet and dark to reduce shock

When children become “Sky Guardians,” the entire neighborhood learns from them.

5) City Bird Helpline Grid — “One Call Can Save a Life”

Many people want to help but don’t know whom to contact. Should they call an NGO, forest department, municipal team, or a veterinarian? Uncertainty creates delay — and delay costs lives.

The City Bird Helpline Grid aims to solve this by ensuring:

• A primary helpline number is publicly known
• Ward-wise volunteers are mapped and reachable
• BEZ points are identified as first-response locations
• Serious cases are quickly connected to trained rescue/veterinary support

Goal: “A report in 5 minutes, and support activated within 15–30 minutes.”

If You See an Injured Bird: What to Do (Safe First Response)

Note: Shristi Mitraa recommends trained help for serious cases. However, basic first response can save lives.

• Stay calm: Panic and noise increase shock in birds.
• Use safe handling: A cloth or gloves are helpful. Gently secure wings.
• Place in a ventilated box: Soft cloth inside; small air holes.
• Do not force water: Shocked birds can choke if forced to drink.
• If bleeding: Apply gentle pressure with clean cotton/cloth.
• Call helpline: Share location and photo if possible.

What NOT to Do (Common Mistakes)

• Do not throw the bird into the air to “make it fly”
• Do not pull the thread forcefully from wounds
• Do not pour milk/water into the beak
• Do not apply harsh chemicals directly on wounds
• Do not gather a noisy crowd around the bird

Bird Friendly Sankranti: 10 Simple Pledges

• I will use only eco-friendly, safer thread
• I will oppose illegal/glass-coated manja
• I will respect Silent Sky Hours
• I will keep a small Bird Emergency Box ready
• I will teach children bird safety rules
• I will report injured birds immediately
• I will place grain/water responsibly
• I will spread awareness in my neighborhood
• I will stay responsible even after the festival
• I will support Shristi Mitraa’s bird safety mission

Shristi Mitraa’s Message to the Public

Our aim is not to stop kite flying. Our aim is to make it responsible. The true spirit of any festival is merit, kindness, and balance. Saving a life is the highest form of celebration.

Start SKY SAFETY MODEL today in your home, your school, and your locality. A small arrangement, a simple rule, and a single call can become someone’s second chance at life.

Join the Movement: “Every rooftop — a rescue point | Every child — a Sky Guardian | Every city — a Bird Safe City”

Bird Helpline (Whatsapp: +91-9829219381

Website: ShristiMitraa.org

Volunteer/Donate: “Your small support creates a big impact for bird protection.”

Disclaimer: This article is for public awareness. In cases of heavy bleeding, deep wounds, fractures, or severe entanglement, trained rescue/veterinary assistance is strongly recommended.