State notified Chhari Dhandh as conservation reserve

Bhuj, Jul 16 (UNI) The Gujarat government has notified Chhari Dhandh, a sprawling wetland and seasonal camp for over 100,000 migratory birds in north west Kutch as conservation reserve.

Conservator of Forests R L Minaor of forest told newspersons here that this was the first wetland reserve declared in the state under Wildlife Protection Act.

The shallow water reservoir known as Dhandh in local Kutchi spans an area of over 22,000 hectares and attracts a large number of bird watchers and tourists.

More than 42 varieties of birds make the wetland as its home in winter. They include Flamingo, Pelican, Cranes, Coots, Ducks, Demoseille Cranes and many others.

Mr Mina said the commercial activities in the reserve like tree cutting and fishing in the lake would be restricted. Wildlife sanctuary in the great and small Rann of Kutch has also been notified by biosphere reserve by the union government. This is the 15th reserve declared by the union government and first in western India, he added.

Mr Mina claimed that the sanctuary spread in 12000 km is the abode of rare wild ass now only found in the Rann of Kutch in the world. The wetland of Rann also attracted over 150,000 greater flamingos and breed in large colony. This is the bigest camp of flamingoes in Asia, he said.

With notification of biosphere reserve , the union government would help state to develop the area according to the need of local population and encouragement of ecological balance, he added.

UNI XR/PVN ZA/VK RJ RAI2315