Will ensure Dhanauri and Jewar conservation, says state environment minister

Noida: With the Gautam Budh Nagar district’s wetlands in shambles, Uttar Pradesh minister of forest and environment Dara Singh Chauhan on Tuesday said that he will ensure the speedy and proper conservation of key habitats -- Dhanauri and Jewar

Noida: With the Gautam Budh Nagar district’s wetlands in shambles, Uttar Pradesh minister of forest and environment Dara Singh Chauhan on Tuesday said that he will ensure the speedy and proper conservation of key habitats -- Dhanauri and Jewar.

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The minister said this on the sidelines of the bird festival held at the Okhla Bird Sanctuary, where the district forest department dedicated a control room and some new facilities to visitors, including a 360-degree high resolution camera to monitor its avifauna. The bird festival was held to mark the International Wetlands Day.

The state environment ministry will ensure that eco-tourism gets boost through recreational activities in sanctuaries and national parks as allowed under the Forest Conservation Act, Chauhan asserted.

“We will ensure that the state’s wetlands and natural habitats are saved. For Dhanauri wetland and the natural habitat around upcoming Jewar airport, we will ensure its conservation and protection. I will hold a meeting with the officials concerned and speed up the conservation process,” said the minister.

Yet to be recognised and protected by the forest department as the land is largely privately owned, the 101-hectare Dhanauri wetland is currently in poor shape, revealed a recent census. According to the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) - 2021 held by Wetlands International South Asia and the district forest department in January this year, only 1,344 waterbirds of 48 species were spotted against 6,227 waterbirds belonging to 59 species last year.

“It’s high time that we need proper conservation management plan for Dhanauri wetland or else it will be lost in a few months, especially with upcoming dry season,” said TK Roy, conservationist and ecologist at Wetlands International.

Meanwhile, a conservation plan by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is pending on individual species — mainly on sarus crane, blackbucks and nilgai, due to their abundance — that exist in and around the proposed 5,000 acres site for the upcoming Noida International Airport. These species rely on a number of wetlands around the proposed site for food and water for their survival and the plan will aim at mitigating the impact, WII scientists had stated. While the clearance for the airport project has already been granted, WII has been tasked to chalk out a mitigation plan to reduce impact on wildlife and the ecology, especially in a 10-km radius or the area of influence of the project site.

Meanwhile, the Okhla Bird Sanctuary received some major infrastructure boost, with the minister inaugurating a board room, cafeteria, camp office, high-resolution camera feed and cart service.

“The high resolution camera feed was being tested and finally inaugurated by the minster today. It will enhance the vigilance and active monitoring, and will also be used for educational and awareness purpose. The live feed covers over 25% of the lake area where the bird concentration is generally high and is slightly less accessible. We will also soon get the live feed on the internet as well,” said PK Srivastava, divisional forest officer, GB Nagar.

He added that one golf cart had also been bought in the sanctuary while five more will arrive within a week.

The bird festival was attended by a number of birders, conservationists, and students, along with several wildlife organisations displaying their work in small stalls.

“Such event should happen more often to boost the local birding community. It was hearty to see such encouragement from the forest department,” said Narendra Kohli, a city-based birder and photographer.