Action plan for stork conservation
Environmentalist Purnima Devi Barman aka ‘Hargila Baideu’ has submitted an action plan to Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi for conservation of the endangered greater adjutant storks. She proposed the storks be used symbolically for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan for their potential to clean the environment. Barman, who won the Whitley Awardlast year, was felicitated by Mukhi in recognition to her efforts towards conservation of the bird. “Her unstinted efforts augur well for creating a congenial ambience and a friendly and sensible pool of human forces for conservation of greater adjutant storks,” Mukhi said.
Three new parks for state capital
Three parks will add to the beauty of the picturesque Assam capital Guwahati. Two of these will be set up by Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA). The parks will come up at Adabari, Fancy Bazar and Hengrabari areas. The park at Fancy Bazar has a budget of D58.39 crore and named the Guwahati Central Park.GMDA chief executive officer M Angamuthu said it would be a world class park, the work for which will commence in June. Similarly, the parks at Adabari and Hengrabari will be set up at costs of D10 crore and D12 crore, respectively. A survey will be soon carried out to locate more open spaces so that they can be developed into parks, Angamuthu said.
Homes for sparrows
Concerned over the drastic fall in the number of sparrows, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), in collaboration with non-governmental organization ‘Help Earth’, has launched an awareness campaign for the conservation of the bird species. On the occasion of World Sparrow Day, they installed bird boxes and distributed some 700 bird boxes free of cost to the residents. The idea behind the initiative was to spread awareness about sparrows and their importance in the eco-system. “It is the responsibility of the people to conserve and develop the existing conditions and protect the city’s unique bio-diversity,” GMDA chairman M Angamuthu said. Jayaditya Purkayastha of Help Earth said there were 220 varieties of sparrows in Guwahati.
Killer highway
The National Highway-37 traversing Guwahati has turned out to be a killer road. According to official figures, the Northeast city recorded 977 road accidents last year which left 279 people dead and 755 others injured. Of the total number of mishaps, 453 occurred on the highway alone. As many as 170 lives were lost and 296 injured. According to locals, traffic management in city thoroughfares is more or less up to the mark but it is altogether a different picture on the highway. The traffic policemen are accused of allowing heavily-loaded vehicles to ply on the highway in lieu of bribes from drivers. Often, these vehicles meet with accidents.
prasanta mazumdar
Our correspondent in Guwahati
prasantamazumdar@newindianexpress.com