It's been a bittersweet winter for our natural
heritage. Bitter, because of Bharatpur, which is a very popular
national bird park in India. It's in coma this winter, because there
is no water. This year, you can walk across its dry lake beds. The
Rajasthan forest department and state government seems to have decided
to let this sliver of our heritage wither away.
On the other hand, an old and rich wetland,
known mostly to birders, received much attention. That's Harike, in
Punjab, a wetland from the 1950s, when a barrage was built downstream
of the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej. It lies strategically on the
migration flyway, so migratory birds land here naturally. This year,
Harike's fortunes were in sharp contrast with those of Bharatpur.
To celebrate the International Wetlands day on
the 2nd of February, the Avian Wetlands Habitat Society, in
partnership with the Punjab forest department and Indian Army
organised a census of birds in Harike. Birding enthusiasts spent 3
days, counting and documenting the birds of Harike.
The tally was 75,000 waterbirds and 160 species in all.
Both Harike and Bharatpur are recognised as
globally important by the Ramsar Convention of 1975, which protects
important wetlands, especially if they are home to waterfowl. We
shouldn't have to lose either -- our government owes us both, fully
protected.
CARBON ACTION Now that Copenhagen is over, let's make sure we don't
forget climate change. In a week, trees around us will begin to shed
their leaves.
Typically, they will be gathered and burned,
releasing carbon dioxide. All of us know that digging a pit and
throwing the leaves, covering them with mud is good enough and a
greener thing to do.
If you want to act on climate change, you should
talk to your community and ensure no leaves get burnt this year.
