With the new governing body set to take over the reins of Chintapalli, a village known for being a favourite nesting spot for painted storks from distant lands, bird-lovers are hoping that the green cover in the area would be protected and even expanded.
Such an initiative is imperative to retain the distinctive status of the village as a preferred destination for feathered guests.
Chintapalli has once again become a beehive of activity with a sizable number of painted storks roosting atop tamarind tree branches in the village as part of their seasonal sojourn for breeding activity.
Monkey menace
As the villagers elected the new governing body headed by Sarpanch M. Krishna Rao in the recent gram panchayat elections, the spotlight has now turned on the much-needed efforts to check monkey menace and ward off the potential danger to winged visitors from marauding herd of simians.
Once an abode of abundant tamarind trees, Chintapalli has lost much of its green cover owing to various reasons over the past couple of years, casting its shadow on the decades-old phenomenon of avian guests flocking to the village in winter for nesting and breeding.
The display boards put up by the Forest Department on the main road, one each at the entrance of the village and in front of the State-run school have been spreading the message of conservation of migratory birds, said V. Hanumantha Rao, a local farmer. The efforts by the forest staff to tackle the monkey menace in the past provided temporary respite. But the problem still persists as packs of ferocious simians frequent the village, who damage crops and climb atop tamarind trees posing a threat to the nests of migratory birds, he pointed out.
A lot still remains to be done to protect and increase green cover in Chintapalli and develop the village into a popular site for bird-watchers, contended a young techie, who hails from Chintapalli.
The existing tamarind trees should be protected and new facilities be created to make the surroundings of the village a safe heaven for birds, he said.
When contacted, Chintapalli new Sarpanch Mr. Krishna Rao told The Hindu that steps would be initiated with the cooperation of villagers and the government departments to check monkey menace, grow more trees and retain the coveted status of Chintapalli as a preferred spot for avian guests.