Sector 21 bird sanctuary in state of neglect, say activists

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 22

Fearing adverse affect on the life and breeding of birds, city-based activists have highlighted the “neglected state” of the bird sanctuary in Sector 21.

In a letter to UT Adviser Manoj Parida, Harman Singh Sidhu, a member of the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, stated that lately, the sanctuary had been totally neglected causing irreparable damage to the habitat of birds.

“Birds are very sensitive and any damage to their habitat adversely affects their lifestyle, breeding and molting, amongst other things, thus, leading to a sharp reduction in their population,” he said.

Birds are very sensitive and any damage to their habitat adversely affects their lifestyle, breeding and molting, amongst other things, thus, leading to a sharp reduction in their population. —Harman Singh Sidhu, member, Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety

He alleged that an illegal cement structure was being constructed inside the sanctuary and an antenna of a mobile company had been installed on ‘Nirankari Gurdwara’ in Sector 21-B.

“The sanctuary is now a home to a dozens of stray dogs. Earlier, walkers were not allowed to bring their pets inside but now, due to lack of any check, people have also started bringing their pets to the sanctuary,” he said.

He requested the Adviser to issue directions to immediately stop the construction of the cement structure and dismantle it under the supervision of experts causing minimum dust and noise. The antenna of mobile company should be relocated as the radiations adversely affect the health of birds, he said.

Prof JC Verma pointed out that the sanctuary was in a shambles and that why, tourists rarely visits the sanctuary. “Heaps of waste is seen lying everywhere and papers are scattered all around, polluting the environment. This has affected the habitat of birds — as is evident from the dwindling number of birds such as Grey Partridge, Cuckoos, Night Jara and Oriole,” he said.