CM: Make State Wetland Authority functional
JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Tuesday that the State Wetland Authority (SWA) should be notified soon so that it becomes operational for conservation and promotion works of wetlands, including Sambhar Lake, in Rajasthan.
He said experts in the SWA from various fields will help in conservation of wetlands and promotion of bio-diversity.
The CM held a review of the situation in India’s biggest natural inland salt lake with officials of the agriculture, environment, forest and industry departments. Gehlot held video conference with collectors of Nagaur, Jaipur and Ajmer, the three districts which have jurisdiction over Sambhar Lake.
The CM told officials to get the incidents of sudden deaths of birds at national and international level studied, which has occurred in past and efforts taken to curb.
He said the state government is conducting relief work in full swing and assistance is taken from officials and experts working in ornithology.
An official release from the CM’S office states that in the meeting it was informed that 20 teams of animal husbandry department, comprising 100 vets and nursing staff are working at the lake to protect the birds. In addition, 100 personnel of forest department, teams of state disaster relief force (SDRF) and relief force and NGOS are actively working to rescue birds. Around 600 birds are rescued and are being treated.
200,000 BIRDS IN DANGER: JAJOO
Rajasthan coordinator for People for Animal (PFA) Babu Lal Jajoo said on Tuesday that around 200,000 birds are in danger at Sambhar wetlands. He appealed to chief minister Ashok Gehlot to save them and ensure that around 100,000 new guests, who are likely to visit the wetlands after the onset of the winters, are safe.
Jajoo questioned government data about bird deaths and said the figure of 20,000 was wrong; at least 30,000 more birds have been killed in Sambhar. “Carcasses of these birds have decomposed in salt water,” he alleged.
He s ai d t he agri c ul t ure department, forest department and pollution control board was still not serious about the biggest bird mortality in India.