HYDERABAD : The KBR National Park, located in one of the uptown parts of Hyderabad and the morning walk destination for some of the city’s A-listers, found itself in yet another controversy on Friday.
One of the morning walkers and well-known ornithologists, who is also the editor of the ‘Indian Birds’ journal, Asheesh Pittie, took to the social media to point out that a small patch of grasses in the park was cleared by the Telangana Forest Department for planting saplings.
Accusing the department of ignorance for treating grasslands as unproductive habitats, he highlighted that such destruction will affect bird species such as the Ashy prinia, Grey breasted prinia, quails, Francolins and Nightjars which are dependent on the grassland ecosystem for their survival. His message was later Tweeted by the handle, ‘Citizens for Hyderabad’, which has been vocal about the reduction of the park’s walkway.
However, when Express contacted the official concerned in the department, he denied that it had acted ignorantly. Instead, he pointed out that the department planted wild-fruit-bearing tree species which will benefit the birds. Hyderabad District Forest Officer M Joji said the park is spread across 142.5 hectares. Of this, 86.5 hectares is a conservation zone, where no such works are taken up at all.
Only at two locations in the visitor zone, which is spread over 56 hectares, the department planted fruit-bearing tree species. Joji said, “We did not destroy grasslands in the forest. We have not touched the conservation zone. We planted saplings of native tree species that provide wild fruits eaten by the birds in the visitor zone.”
Blatant destruction
One of the morning walkers and well-known ornithologists, who is also the editor of the ‘Indian Birds’ journal, Asheesh Pittie, took to social media to point out that a small patch of grassland in the park was cleared by the Telangana Forest Department for planting saplings. Accusing the department of ignorance for treating grasslands as unproductive habitats, he highlighted that such destruction will affect the bird species of Ashy prinia, Grey breasted prinia, quails