Bird species at Sector 21 sanctuary face threat

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

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Tribune news service

Chandigarh, September 3

The decision of the Municipal Corporation to install another high-mast light in the vicinity of a bird sanctuary in Sector 21 is posing a threat to parrots and other birds residing in the sanctuary.

Questioning the move of the civic body, residents of the area said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had declared the area around the bird sanctuary an eco-sensitive zone in 2017 on the proposal of the administration. In a notification issued by the ministry, the total area to an extent varying from 80 to 125 metres from the boundary of the bird sanctuary was declared an eco-sensitive zone. 

The sanctuary was set up in 1998 after the UT Forest Department took a note of the large number of birds, particularly parrots in the area. It was the birds themselves that chose the area and the sanctuary came up much later. The Municipal Corporation is taking care of half portion of the sanctuary, while the other half is restricted and is being looked after by the Forest Department.

One of the residents of the area said there was no need to install another high-mast light in the area as one such light was already installed in the park. 

The sanctuary houses a variety of birds such as rose ringed parakeet, grey hornbill, house sparrow, common myna, Indian koel, red vented bulbul, blue rock pigeon, starling hoopoe and ring dove. The area of 2.90 hectare became a wildlife sanctuary on September 3, 1998. 

MC Commissioner KK Yadav said he would get the issue checked soon. Officials of the Forest Department said they had asked the Municipal Corporation to stop the work of the installation of high-mast light.