TNN | Sep 4, 2016, 06.33 AM
IST
UDAIPUR: Hundreds of birds of White Ibis and Cormorant species were butchered in Dungarpur in an abrupt action by the PWD on Saturday. The department felled several trees for widening the road without taking into consideration the number of avian flocks nesting in them. Many birds were injured while many others were rendered homeless as their nests fell on the ground.
Hundreds of birds of near-extinct species dropped dead on the road between Teejvad to Sintex chauraha. Not only many adult birds died, the act also proved fatal to their young ones who hadn't even developed wings. Hundreds of eggs were broken and many birds were severely injured as they got entangled between the heavy branches.
The action infuriated nature lovers who reported the matter to the authorities
and demanded stringent action.
A large colony of the birds had been nesting in the trees in the locality for years now. A similar attempt to cut down trees for broadening of roads some months ago by the PWD was resisted by bird lovers. After protest from the Nature's Club, the district collector had asked the department not to disturb the bird colony for the road construction work.
"It was a heronry which the PWD destroyed without showing concern or compassion for the poor creatures. The collector had clearly instructed the officials to only trim the trees which hindered the construction process. But, they paid no heed to the directions," said Kamlesh Sharma, a member of the Nature's Club.
Surprisingly, the forest department officials claimed they didn't know that any
such incident had taken place in the city. "I wasn't informed of any such
incident. We will investigate the matter and proper action will be taken under
the Wildlife Act," said Sharat Babu, district forest officer.
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