SRIKAKULAM: Hundreds of Open Billed Storks (Siberian birds), which migrate to Srikakulam district during their breeding season, are dying for lack of attention from the district administration, especially the forest officials. Telukunche village in Icchapuram mandal of the district, noted for Siberian bird sanctuary, is a tourist getaway with no development of any sort.
Hundreds of birds from Siberia reach the place during kharif season and leave by December. But it seems to be a curse for the birds to have selected Srikakulam district as their home for breeding. The locals and bird lovers are worried over the negligence of officials in providing adequate facilities and keeping mum even after the death of hundreds of birds. With no proper nets and security, the Telukunche bird sanctuary is on the verge of extinction. Hundreds of birds die every year for lack of nets and human attacks. In the last one week to 10 days, hundreds of birds collapsed and many were injured. It is the locals, who are much attached to the birds, who treat and take care of them and even guard the sanctuary.
“In the last two years, hundreds of birds died due to cyclones Phailin and Hudhud. The officials respond to natural calamities but later ignore our complaints. The death rate continues unabated as there are no proper facilities,” said Bramhachari, a resident of Telukunche.
Nets are the major requirement for migratory birds. The nets tied to the trees shelter birds and their eggs during rains and in extreme weather conditions. But the bird sanctuary in Telukunche area has no nets and hundreds of birds die when it rains, when trees are uprooted and due to human attacks. The locals say that due to lack of nets, many eggs break when they fall from nests. As per the observation of villagers, the number of birds coming to the sanctuary is gradually decreasing every year, which is a sad sign.
“The Forest Department doesn’t seem to bother about it. We the locals bury them when they die. There has been a decrease in the number of birds coming to Telukunche every year,” said Srinivasa Rao, a resident of Telukunche.
Lack of security for the sanctuary is another issue of concern. The forest officials promised to deploy two security personnel at the sanctuary for protection of birds but it remains a promise that is yet to be realised. Lack of security is giving rise to another serious problem - poachers and hunters.
The locals and bird lovers demand allocation of more land and necessary measures for safeguarding the birds. The village also does not boast of any development and lack any signs of a tourist spot. A watchtower at the sanctuary has been pending for long. It does not even have the minimum amenities for tourists, be it food or accommodation.
District forest officer (DFO) Santhi Bhushan said that this year, according to reports, as many as 734 birds migrated to Telukunche. “The district collector has allotted `25 lakh for the development of the bird sanctuary with all facilities. We will also broach the issues with tourism officials,” said Santhi Bhushan to Express.
Locals Attached to Birds
Though the government has never bothered about the poor birds, it is the locals who take responsibility of their guests and are sentimental about them. As per the locals, the migration of birds to the village augurs well for agricultural yield. They protect the birds from hunters. Whenever the locals find any bird injured, they take them home, provide first aid and again free it in the area. The locals also bury the dead birds. “We feel it’s our responsibility to take care of the birds. If the birds come and breed here, we feel that our farming and cultivation will be better that year. But the government is never concerned about this. It hurts to see that they can’t do this much for the birds that come from such great distance,” said Prathap, a resident of Telukunche.