The Bharatpur bird sanctuary is facing a shortage of ‘flowing water’ which is crucial to sustain this 29 sq km aquatic habitat where herons breed during the current season.
The Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur must receive 550 million cubic feet (mcft) of water annually during the monsoon season for its nearly 10 sq km area to remain water-logged and support resident and migratory species throughout winter. This season, it has not received a drop of ‘flowing water’ so far primarily because of the monsoon deficit.
The sanctuary used to receive flowing water through the Gambhir River. But the river stopped flowing over a decade ago owing to construction of the Panchana Dam in Karauli district. This has led to recurring drought conditions in the reserve. The river flow is possible only if the Panchana is full and its sluice gates are opened.
2 alternative systemsTwo alternative systems have been put in place. Both are based on cement pipes. One is from the Chambal River which has provided water to D block of the park this season. It is not sufficient, as people of Bharatpur also depend on the river.
The other is from the Goverdhan Drain. Not a drop of water was observed in the channel until Wednesday.
With the Chambal water having reached one block, breeding had commenced in the past fortnight. Open-bill storks have started building nests over acacia tree tops, hoping for abundant fish as do other species like cormorants, herons and egrets.
Environmentalist Harsh Vardhan, who defended the need for flowing water in the park before the Supreme Court a decade ago, pointed out that the required quantity of fish was not available. He said the park had ironically been receiving huge quantity of invasive fish species through flowing water which were not palatable to resident birds, he said.
The Openbill Storks in fact felt the paucity of food and migrated elsewhere. But due to paucity of wetlands, they had to return.
“The good news is that Painted Storks have started settling in the park. At least four more blocks are yet to receive water. This will be possible only if there are monsoon rains in the coming weeks. Even then the absence of ‘flowing water’ would continue to dog the park in the coming years, Mr. Harsh Vardhan said.
Brackish and stinksThe Goverdhan Drain water is brackish and has a foul stench. It had altered the water quality in the wells in neighbouring villages.
