Gujarat is home to 35 endangered bird species

The 145 endangered bird species in India, Gujarat is home to at least 35 of them. Thus it is important that researchers and ornithologists and people from all walks of life join hands in bird conservation, speakers said at a recently held seminar in Navsari on 'Birds of Gujarat: Present status and future scenario'.

The seminar was organized by Bird Conservation Society, Gujarat (BCSG) and ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, (NAU) Navsari in alliance with Gujarat Association for Agricultural Sciences (GAAS). At least 450 participants took part in this seminar, said Adil Kazi, organizing secretary and assistant professor (wildlife & ecotourism) NAU.

The objective is to save the birds, particularly the threatened species from poaching like it was recently witnessed in Khadir, Bhavnagar and parts of South Gujarat and from kite threads. "Ornithology is not only a study of birds, but a medium to learn about the nature," according to late Salim Ali, Kazi said, adding that the seminar discussed forest birds, wetland birds, coastal birds, threatened birds, urban birds and birds of agricultural landscape. There were 19 oral and 24 poster presentations during the seminar in which 10 lead lectures were also made on topics like photographic overview of birds of Gujarat, birds ecological role and environmental services, present status of birds of Gujarat, vulture conservation in Gujarat, vulnerable bird species of Gujarat etc.

Among those who attended the seminar were veteran ornithologist Digvirendrasinhji, D S Narve, additional principal chief conservator of forests (research & training) and Gautam Naik, conservator of forests, Rajpipla.

GPCB files court plaint against GEPIL

Two months after issuing closure notice to Gujarat Environment Protection Infrastructure Limited (GEPIL), Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) on Saturday lodged a complaint in the court against the company and nine directors over pollution issue.

The 10 directors have been asked by the court to present themselves before it on February 23, sources said.

The company was issued closure notice on December 01, 2011 under Section 5 of Environment Protection (EP) Act after GPCB investigation found GEPIL to be violating pollution norms by allegedly releasing harmful chemicals into Unn Khadi.

The GPCB had carried out digging for over 11 days to search for the source of pollution in Unn Khadi and the connections which were detected were allegedly linked to GEPIL storage tanks. GPCB had started the investigation after a series of complaints about water pollution from people of nearby Jiav, Budia, Ghabheni and Deepli villages.

GPCB regional officer Anil Patel had lodged the complaint against GEPIL and its directors namely Girish Luthra, Dhruv Luthra, Narendra Shah, KV Tulsiyan, Kamal Jain, Dharmesh Patel, Dhaval Parikh, Priyesh Bhati and Sunil Shah.

"We had taken the samples of hazardous waste under the EP Act 1986. The report of our findings has also been placed before the court. Further punitive action will be taken upon court's directive," Anil Patel said.

By :- Times OF india

Peacock poaching feared near Surat

SURAT: Feathers and remains of peacocks have been found in farms near Ranaj village of Mahuva taluka in Surat district in the last two days. Locals and nature activists fear that at least seven peacocks had been killed in these farms for their meat and feathers. The peacocks had gone missing in the last one week from mango orchards around Ranaj village.

Meanwhile, a peacock and a peahen, badly injured, were rescued from the farms. The peahen had injuries on leg, which the nature activists believe were caused by an iron wire trap. The peacock had injuries on eye, due to a 'gilol' attack, fracture in both legs and severe injury on the body due to its feathers having been pulled out, president of Friends of Animal Welfare Trust (FAWT) Jatin Rathod said. "When we visited the farms, we found small uncoloured feathers. This meant the carcasses and coloured feathers of the peacocks had been taken away by someone," he added.

"There were many peacocks and peahens in my mango orchard. I used to feed them and keep water for them daily. But they are missing since one week. In last two days we have found feathers in my and nearby orchards. Two severely injured birds have been rescued, which confirmed that they were victims of a poaching attempt," Sanjay Desai said.

"From the feathers found in the orchards, it seems that at least seven peacocks had been poached for meat and their feathers. Other peacocks may have fled from the location after the attack on them," Rathod said. Deputy conservator of forest, Surat, Anil Vasava said, "We had examined the location and found one peacock and one peahen in bad condition. It seems an attempt had been made to trap them for their feathers. So far we have not received any evidence of poaching from the location. However, our investigation is still on."

The rescued birds are being treated at a rehabilitation centre in Bardoli.

BY:- Times of  India