Visitors’ entry banned till reports arrive
Rajay Deep
Bathinda
As the bird flu scare has boomeranged in the northern region after finding a positive case of the influenza in Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake and some suspected in Patiala, the forest and wildlife authorities of Punjab have completely banned visitors’ entry to Harike Wildlife Sanctuary.
Taking precautionary measures, the sanctuary officials recently called the veterinary expert from Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts who collected various samples of birds’ dropping to analyse it in their respective laboratories. The experts are expected to take another 10 days to come out with their reports and till the day, the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary will remain close for public, confirmed the Ferozepur Divisional Forest Officer Neeraj Gupa, who also holds the charge of the sanctuary.
During the period, as learnt, the sanctuary staff has been asked to intensify the monitoring of birds in the wetland, spread across 86 square km. The sanctuary occupies the land of three adjoining districts-Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Tarn Taran. And the wetland ecosystem of Harike lies on the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej and the main water body (reservoir) came into existence when a barrage was constructed across the confluence of the two rivers some 60 years ago.
According to the DFO concerned, the sanctuary staff put on the job has been asked to keep an eye over the activities of the birds in their area as not only the death of the birds but also the sluggishness among the inhabitants too would be of great concern. While going into the wetland, the designated staff is supposed to be properly covered to ensure the protection from any kind of suspicion. Apart from it, the sanctuary officials have now strengthened up the liaison with the civil administration of respective districts for the cause, informed Gupta.
Asked about the threat perception, the DFO claimed that there was no incident reported as of now to panic about but as the sanctuary generally houses over 60,000 birds descending from different parts of the country and many from outside the territorial limits of India, the precaution was must. He, however, ruled out the possibility of some affected bird coming flying from Sukhna lake as he claimed that majority of the winged guests of the sanctuary were of long routes and their paths were also very much defined.
Rajay Deep
Bathinda
As the bird flu scare has boomeranged in the northern region after finding a positive case of the influenza in Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake and some suspected in Patiala, the forest and wildlife authorities of Punjab have completely banned visitors’ entry to Harike Wildlife Sanctuary.
Taking precautionary measures, the sanctuary officials recently called the veterinary expert from Tarn Taran and Ferozepur districts who collected various samples of birds’ dropping to analyse it in their respective laboratories. The experts are expected to take another 10 days to come out with their reports and till the day, the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary will remain close for public, confirmed the Ferozepur Divisional Forest Officer Neeraj Gupa, who also holds the charge of the sanctuary.
During the period, as learnt, the sanctuary staff has been asked to intensify the monitoring of birds in the wetland, spread across 86 square km. The sanctuary occupies the land of three adjoining districts-Ferozepur, Kapurthala and Tarn Taran. And the wetland ecosystem of Harike lies on the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej and the main water body (reservoir) came into existence when a barrage was constructed across the confluence of the two rivers some 60 years ago.
According to the DFO concerned, the sanctuary staff put on the job has been asked to keep an eye over the activities of the birds in their area as not only the death of the birds but also the sluggishness among the inhabitants too would be of great concern. While going into the wetland, the designated staff is supposed to be properly covered to ensure the protection from any kind of suspicion. Apart from it, the sanctuary officials have now strengthened up the liaison with the civil administration of respective districts for the cause, informed Gupta.
Asked about the threat perception, the DFO claimed that there was no incident reported as of now to panic about but as the sanctuary generally houses over 60,000 birds descending from different parts of the country and many from outside the territorial limits of India, the precaution was must. He, however, ruled out the possibility of some affected bird coming flying from Sukhna lake as he claimed that majority of the winged guests of the sanctuary were of long routes and their paths were also very much defined.
Bathinda zoo, lakes also face scare
Though there is no report of influenza detected in Bathinda, the forest and wildlife officials here have taken the requisite precautions well in advance.
According to the information, the enclosure of geese kept in the mini zoo here has been covered from atop to avoid the birds coming in the contact of influenza through the dropping of any migratory bird. Besides, the cautioned zoo authorities have started appealing the visitors not to go close the birds’ enclosures, informed Bathinda DFO Sanjiv Tewari.
However, the widespread lakes of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant, Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant and National Fertilizers Limited are now haunting the authorities.
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