A Flutter By The Yamuna

So in 1990 when the UP government notified the area between Kalindi Kunj at the edge of Southeast Delhi and Noida in UP as a protected area, Anand and his ilk had reasons to celebrate. They finally had a sanctuary at their doorstep where they could welcome new visitors who had winged their way from across the Himalayas in search of warmer climes. "Try this for a fact," says Anand, "the Bharatpur bird sanctuary has recorded less than 350 species of birds but here at the Okhla bird sanctuary we have recorded nearly 380 species."

But today, those bird species, many of them rare, face the prospect of losing their habitat forever. Encroachments pose a major threat to the sanctuary even as the forest department looks the other way. Anand and his colleagues formed a group under the banner of the Delhi Bird Net (DBN) and approached the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to file a case against the encroachers. "We collected data and enough evidence to ensure we had a strong case." Once this was done, the WTI filed a petition with the Central Empowered Committee (CEC)—a body created by the Supreme Court to monitor the protection of wildlife and the environment.

A major problem that DBN faced was the conflict between the irrigation and forest departments. With the Okhla barrage nearby, the irrigation department’s jurisdiction ensured the forest department did not have the right of way. This meant the latter would take little interest to maintain the wetlands as well as the shallow areas that serve as a critical element in the nesting pattern of the birds. As encroachments grew, bird-watchers were horrified to discover a three-storey building coming up within the sanctuary. "This went against all development control rules that prohibit construction on the banks of the Yamuna," says Arya. Locals would also use the area as a crematorium.

More petitions followed till the CEC finally passed an order directing the district administration to remove the encroachments. "The district magistrate, Santosh Yadav, was quite helpful and he came along with us to inspect the encroachments." The constructions were removed. Even the three-storeyed building has been sealed, says Arya.

DBN has now petitioned the authorities to barricade the metalled bund road that has emerged as the latest threat to the sanctuary. "This road was not meant to be here. Now trucks and four-wheelers use this as a short cut from Noida to Mayur Vihar," he says. With most birds using the areas adjoining the road as their nesting ground, the noise and the fumes have begun to have a detrimental effect on their habitat. "This sanctuary falls on the migratory path of the birds coming from Europe and Central Asia," says Arya. So far, they have recorded birds like the Greylag and the Bar-headed Goose which are common visitors between January and February as well as other species such as the Blue Throat and the Black Redstart. "The DM has promised to barricade the road immediately so that the nests are not threatened."

While their efforts have yielded results, Anand and others are worried that the lack of support from the forest department could harm their cause. "The wetlands need to be protected and maintained so as to serve as a habitat for the various species that visit the sanctuary. This means constant planting of trees, adding a variety of plants to support the ecology and also proper channels of irrigation." The bird-watchers are also petitioning the Delhi government (parts of the sanctuary falls under the jurisdiction of Delhi) to participate in governing the area.

DBN can be contacted at: Delhi Bird Net, 353, Sector 15A, Noida—201301 or anadarya@anadanarya.com