05SRINAGAR | March 21, 2016, Monday

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POACHING OF MIGRATORY BIRDS GOES UNABATED IN NARKARA WETLAND

Srinagar to get International Fossil Park soon: DC

Encroachments, constructions take toll on habitat

IDREES BUKHTIYAR

Srinagar, Mar 20: Unabated poach-ing of migratory birds by professional hunters in collusion with some offi-cials is going on unabated in Narkara wetland on city outskirts here. In absence of any monitoring, sources said the hunters are having a field day to poach the migratory birds. “These hunters visit the wetland in wee and evening hours and on an average kill between 300-400 birds per day” they said. Pertinently, migratory birds including shorebirds, gadwall, cranes, ducks, geese, pintails migrate to Narkara and other wetlands of

the Valley every year to ward off the extreme cold in their summer homes in Siberia and Central Asia. Narkara wetland is spread over around 8,000 kanals of land and is sur-rounded by Shiekhpora, Humhama, and Hyderpora. The wetland faces

threat of extinction as reports said over 100 illegal structures have come up on the wetland besides 4,000 kanals has been encroached by locals---affect-ing habitat of the birds. Abdul Gani Dar, Nambardar of Narkara said illegal constructions are

taking heavy toll on the wetland. “People living on the wetlands paid hefty amount to some officials of Revenue department to construct illegal structures,” Dar alleged. “I have written to several officials about the illegal constructions on the

wetland, but no action was taken,” Dar added. Locals said due to inaction of Wildlife and other departments, some farmers from the nearby areas have encroached upon the wetland by cul-tivation of paddy.

Reports said that the wetland has been encroached upon by some inhab-itants of Goteng, Narkora, Munpora, Sheikhpora, Humhama, Nadirgund, Hyderpora and Galwanpora. Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Budgam Naseer Ahmad Wani, said “I have taken up the matter with the higher officials and action will be taken soon.” The Wildlife Warden Wetlands (Kash-mir) Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone cited the short-age of staff for failure to check poaching and encroachment of the wetland. “Actually, we have inadequate number of staff in the department, but despite challenges we are still trying to take preventive measures. We recently got few staffers from Forest Protection Department which have been deployed at Narkara. I have taken up the matter of augmentation of staff with the gov-ernment,” Lone said.

Srinagar, Mar 20: Deputy Commis-sioner Srinagar, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone today informed that an Inter-national Fossil Park would soon be established at Khonmoh on city outskirts here. Dr Lone made spot assess-ment of the site and sought records from the Departments of Revenue and Wildlife, so that the project is commissioned at the earliest. The DC was accompanied by Director Tourism, Kashmir, Mehm-ood Ahmad Shah, SDM Srinagar, Syed Hanief Balki, Assistant Com-missioner, Revenue, Hamidullah Mir, beside senior Revenue offi-cials.

Director Tourism, Kashmir informed that apart from the tour-ism point of view, the site would also facilitate scholars for research

work. He informed that the park has been envisaged to give a broader display of the State’s geological history. He said that department

of geology and Geophysics, Uni-versity of Kashmir had agreed for providing fossils at the site, which according to them would attract the

researchers of international repute. He informed that the depart-ment would also establish a museum for displaying the artifacts. Pertinently the potential of the Khonmoh area is geographically and geologically well known as few years back the mammoth skeleton of elephant was excavated from the area. The DC held a threadbare discussion with the officials over developing the site into an interna-tional repute park. “This is unique site in the world where we have signs of the mass extinction of species during mass tsunami that occurred 250 million years back,” the officials informed.

The DC impressed upon the officials to develop the Interna-tional Fossil Park on priority basis so that the park wouldn’t only help in preserving artifacts and his-torical sites, but would also give boost to the educational tourism in the State. Meanwhile, the Deputy Com-missioner finalised the land for Chasm-e-Awami project near Lodhu Spring, Zewan Spring, Khon-moh Spring, which would also be developed by Tourism department. He also stressed upon the officials to develop Chak-e-Khonomoh as a model village under MGNREGA. The DC, later, took review of other development works of the area.

Mubashir Khan/GK

Naseem Bagh inhabitants decry power cuts

GK NEWS NETWORK

Srinagar, Mar 20: Resi-dents of Naseem Bagh have decried power cuts in the area due to weak transmis-sion system. A delegation from New Colony Naseem Bagh said the power transmis-sion lines frequently get snapped resulting in power cuts. “We have sev-

eral times urged the PDD authorities to replace the worn out lines, but no action was taken,” they said. The residents said the problem is compounded due felling of decayed branches on chinars. “We appeal the concerned authorities to take measures for resolv-ing these problems,” they added.

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