70,000 migratory birds arrvive Pong Dam reservoir

Shimla, Dec 23: More than 70,000 migratory birds from Central Asian countries have arrived in different areas of Pong Dam reservoir in Himachal Pradesh during the last three months, Conservator (Wildlife) V K Singh said.

About 70,000 migratory birds had already reached the Pong Dam wildlife sanctuary since October after migrating from trans Himalayan regions, including Afghanistan, Mongolia, China and Russia, and the number was likely to swell to 1.50 lakh, he said in a release here yesterday.

Mr Singh said extreme cold climatic conditions in the Central Asian countries force these birds to migrate to wetlands in India.

''Pong Dam attracts the highest number of migratory birds in the country during winter.'' He said the Wildlife Department has taken up various steps to ensure the protection of migratory birds apart from improving their habitat.

As many as 40 village forest development committees have been formed to keep a strict vigil on poaching of birds, he said, adding that nine check posts have been set up at different places within the bird sanctuary in addition to two mobile check posts.

Mr Singh said the mobile check posts would keep an eye over suspicious activities in the sanctuary areas by ensuring coordination with the other check posts that have been set up for the purpose.

The migratory birds, which usually made their abode in clusters, reside in Nagrota Surian, Guglara, Tairess, Jambal Bassi, Nandpur Bhatoli and Dehra area of Kangra district, he said.

He said during the winter season, tourists from within the country and outside the country thronged Pong Dam area for bird watching.

Last year, 1.42 lakh migratory birds visited the Pong area, while 1.30 lakh migratory birds visited the reserviour area in 2004, he added.

UNI