Govt has Maha plan to conserve migratory birds, their habitats

The Maharashtra government on Thursday proposed an action plan for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats within the state along the Central Asian

The Maharashtra government on Thursday proposed an action plan for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats within the state along the Central Asian Flyway (CAF).

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CAF covers migratory bird routes across 30 countries, with maximum routes passing through India.

The proposal was presented by representatives of the state forest department before the International Conference on Wetlands and Migratory birds in Lonavala.

The state’s action plan consists of six objectives – species conservation, habitat conservation, capacity building (training forest officers), communication and outreach , research and monitoring, and international cooperation . “Our focus will be on checking population status, species diversity, congregation sites, habitat utilisation and identifying historic wetlands that need restoration,” said Sunil Limaye, additional principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife).

Under the proposed action plan, the forest department identified locations as critically-important wetland sites in the state under CAF. These are Jaikwadi in Aurangabad; Gangapur and Nandur Madhyameshwar in Nashik; the wetland cluster of Mumbai Metropolitian Region – Mahul Sewri mudflats, Alibaug, Thane creek and Uran.

“Instruments such as coastal regulation zone (CRZ), declaring mangroves as reserved forests and having more conservation reserves for non-protected zones will help in the protection of important areas that form a part of CAF,” he added.

“Maharashtra is a leading state which takes up wetland protection under India’s National Action Plan for Conservation of Migratory Birds (2018-2023). The state machinery is making use of legal instruments, citizen-science partnership and precise action plans to ensure migratory bird flyways are protected,” said Siddhanta Das, director general of forest and special secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.