GUWAHATI: A nesting hub of egrets in Tangla town in northern Assam’s Udalguri district has been destroyed by the local administration in the breeding season, citing a complaint based on an ‘apprehension theory’ that bird droppings spread Covid-19.
Hundreds of egret chicks were killed when the trees were axed.
The executive officer of Tangla Municipal Committee, in a letter on June 8 directed five residents of ward numbers 1 and 2 of the area under the committee, to cut down the bamboo plants on their premises.
The notice to Mahendra Deka, Amiyo Narzary, Rajat Bhattacharjee, Lokjit Sutar and Geetika Das read, ““…the droppings of egrets that are nesting in the bamboo plants in your premises have caused unhygienic conditions, which could lead to increase in Covid-19 cases.
You are thereby asked to cut down the bamboo groves in your premise for a cleaner, healthier surrounding.” When the owners of the bamboo groves did not cut down the plants within the specified time-frame, the local administration stepped in and felled the plants on Thursday evening.
The municipal board sent a few men to Lokjit Sutar’s land to do the job.
The nests came crashing down, killing scores of egret chicks.
Tangla police station officer-in-charge, Someswar Konwar, confirming the cutting down of the bamboo plants, said, “The residents were given a time frame to cut down the plants.
But they didn’t do it and the authorities had to do it.” Locals said about 300 chicks died before wildlife activists could bring the notice of the district authorities.
The video of the chicks have gone viral on social media since Thursday evening and netizens have asked for severe punishment.
‘Destruction of habitats and nests severe crimes’Destruction of habitats and nests of birds are severe crimes under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
If bird droppings threaten public health, then the Tangla Municipality Board should regularly clean the ground instead of threatening the landowners, who did not invite the birds,” Dilwar Hussain, a member of central Assam’s Laokhowa Burhachapori Wildlife Conservation Society in central Assam’s Nagaon district, wrote in an email to the Udalguri authorities.v Udalguri deputy commissioner, P.
Uday Praveen, who visited the spot on Friday morning, said the local circle officer has been asked to submit a report.
“We have asked the municipal authorities to stop cutting down any more trees or bamboo groves and ensure no birds are harmed.
The remaining birds have been sent to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC, Kaziranga).
They managed to rescue about 100 chicks and have also arranged vehicles for their transportation.
A report has also been sought on the unfortunate incident,” the deputy commissioner told TOI.
According to the locals, many birds flew away, while many were taken away by the people for consumption.
There were numerous unhatched eggs and newborns in the nests, which were broken or killed when the plants were cut and the nests fell to the ground.
Assam forest minister Parimal Suklabaidya ordered the PCCF (Wildlife), Amit Sahai, to inquire about the matter and submit a report.