Boundary around Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary to check illegal sand mining
KOTA: The state wildlife department has started preparations for demarcating the 490-km-long Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary in Rajasthan, which has been witnessing rampant illegal sand mining over the years damaging the nesting sites of gavials and turtles.
According to official estimates, there are around 1160 gavials (also gharials) in the sanctuary. “Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary division has been given `1.30 crore project for demarcation of the sanctuary in two years. Of this, `57 lakh have been received in the current financial year (2016-17),” said Mahesh Chand Gupta, deputy conservator of forest, Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary, Rajasthan.
Under the demarcation plan, a boundary would be constructed around the sanctuary by erecting pillars. “On the basis of GPSbased survey, boundary pillars would be soon established at every 50-metre distance along the sanctuary and notice boards will be placed to prevent illicit sand mining,” Gupta said. He said, “There is problem of sand mining in Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary in Kota and Dholpur districts, which disturbs habitat and breeding of aquatic creatures.”
Environmentalists have welcomed the idea of demarcating the sanctuary. Tapeshwar Singh Bhati, a wildlife activist of Kota, said, “Demarcation of the Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary would certainly create barriers for illicit activities in the sanctuary.”
Harimohan Meena, a research scholar on Chambal Ghariyal Sanctuary, said although there was no data available about exact damage caused to the sanctuary, but more than 25% area of the sanctuary may have been affected due to illegal mining.