JAIPUR: Terming the large-scale deaths of migratory birds at the Sambhar Salt Lake a 'worrying' trend, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday assured that his government is taking all the necessary steps to ascertain the cause and prevent any more similar incidents.
The chief minister took to Twitter and said that the water samples have been sent for testing. "Protecting flora and fauna remains one of our top priorities. CCF (chief conservator of forests), as well as several teams of AH Dept, are at Sambhar Lake. Both CWLW and CCF are monitoring the situation. Water samples have been taken and sent for testing. Carcasses are sent to Bhopal for testing for bird flu," Gehlot said.
"A ground-level assessment is that due to heavy rains in Sambhar, lots of new waterbodies have been formed after a gap of some years, raising the saline level and causing toxicity. Officials are also investigating whether it has been caused by water contamination or algae poisoning. Once investigations are complete, we will do everything possible so that no more birds lose lives." Gehlot tweeted.
Thousands of migratory birds of about two dozen species have died suddenly in the last couple of days under mysterious conditions at Rajasthan's Sambhar lake, the largest inland saltwater lake in the country. The cause of the death is not yet known, but forest officials have confirmed that 2400 birds of about 25 different species have died.