Pruning of dried tree branches and removal of withered bamboo clumps has begun at the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, on the banks of the Cauvery near Srirangapatna.
According to forest officials, around 3,000 bamboo clumps will be removed. Shrubs will be trimmed and dried tree branches axed at several spots. A clean-up exercise of this scale is being taken up at Ranganathittu for the first time since it was accorded bird sanctuary status in 1940, a senior forest officer told The Hindu .
The bird sanctuary has several thousands of bamboo clumps, especially along walking paths and near the sitting areas. A majority of them have dried up. The department has not removed dried branches and other wood for over seven decades, the officer said.
The riverine islets of Ranganathittu attract over 200 species of exotic birds.
Although it was notified in 1940, according to the forest officer, the sanctuary saw the cultivation of bamboo in a big way in later years. Normally, bamboo flowers bloom and wither once in around 45 years.
But the dried-up bamboo clumps are posing a threat to visitor safety, and this has forced the department to initiate the pruning effort. Another senior officer said: “The department was granted permission [to remove bamboo and dried branches] only after senior officials carefully inspected the bird sanctuary.”
He said there will be no possibility of indiscriminate cutting of bamboo or tree branches. Nevertheless, some bamboo clumps in good condition have also been identified to be cut as they have grown like bouquets. The process will be completed in a couple of weeks, the officer said.
The islets where the birds nest, roost and breed will remain untouched. Soon after the completion of the process, the Forest Department plans to initiate efforts to plant or regenerate bamboo trees at vacant spots.
Help for artisans
The chopped bamboo clumps will be given to the ‘Medaru’ community members to make bamboo artefacts. Members of Medaru, a Scheduled Tribe community, are solely dependent on traditional bamboo weaving for their livelihood. The government has fixed a price of ₹40.2 for each clump.
