The Hindu : Naveen seeks report on killing of migratory birds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 21, 2003

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Other States - Orissa

Naveen seeks report on killing of migratory birds

By Prafulla Das

BHUBANESWAR JAN. 20 . The gruesome trade in which thousands of migratory birds are poached in Orissa's Chilka lake for human consumption has come to light following allegations that the meat of the winged visitors was served to the guests at a dinner in a prominent club here last week.

It has been for some time now that conservationists have been crying murder over the poaching of migratory birds in Chilka.According to them, poachers have been killing the exotic birds that migrate to the lake during the winter months from places such as distant Siberia, Mongolia, Arctic Ocean and Central Asia.

Alleging that meat of the waterfowls that are protected under the Wildlife Potection Act, 1972 was served to the guests at the club on January 17 night on the occasion of a bureaucrat's birthday celebrations, the State Coordinator of the Indian Bird Conservation Network(IBCN), Biswajit Mohanty, has demanded a high-level probe by a Central agency. In a complaint to the Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, on Sunday, Mr. Mohanty had submitted that a fair probe into his allegations would not be possible if it was not conducted by a Central investigating agency. The club authorities, however, termed the allegations as "baseless''.

The Chief Minister has ordered the Chief Wildlife Warden to submit a report by the end of this month, Gautam Buddha Mukherjee, Secretary in the State Government's Department of Forest and Environment, told The Hindu today. While as many as 205 species of birds have been recorded in Chilka, about 95 species were migratory. They arrive every year in October and depart in February, spending their winter here when their normal home territories were ice-bound.

According to Mr. Mohanty, the major poaching centres in and around the vast lake were Bhusandpur, Sorana and Magalajodi.

Due to lack of protection, even the bird sanctuary of Nala Bana was not safe. Cut heads of dead birds could be seen floating in the sanctuary area. The poachers use various methods to kill the birds. Tranquilisers are mixed with lotus seeds, wheat or rice to dope the birds. Mist nets which are scarcely visible are also strung across important congregation areas. A clap frightens the birds and they fly into these nets, Mr. Mohanty alleged. The market of the bird meat was about Rs. 100 a kg.

He said that effective protection of birds in Chilka had become impossible as the office of the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) was situated in Bhub swar, about 70 km away from the lake.According to Mr. Mohanty, the Range Officer's post in Tangi was lying vacant for the past four months and a lone forester had been posted at Sorana with little funds for patrolling. Further, at least 24 posts of field guards were vacant since long.

Although the Central Government had provided funds for prevention of poaching and protection of wildlife, no watcher had been appointed by the Forest Department, he said.

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Naveen seeks report on killing of migratory birds