The wildlife wing of the state Forest Department is all set to undertake an annual estimation count of migratory birds in the Pong wetland on the foothill of Kangra district. The bird counting exercise will be undertaken on January 31.
Rajiv Mahajan
Nurpur December 19
As many as 68,188 migratory birds have thronged the Pong Wetland, lying on the foothills of Kangra district, in a fortnight.
The wildlife wing of the state Forest D
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Rajiv Mahajan
Nurpur, February 23
The Pong Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary opened for visitors and tourists on Tuesday after authorities managed to successfully control the Avian Influenza (H5N1) outbreak that has claimed the lives of thousands of exotic migratory birds during the past two months.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Archana Sharma, who issued an office order for opening the Pong Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday, told The Tribune that no bird mortality had been reported from the sanctuary area since the past seven to ten days.
She said that the bird flu epidemic phase was over and 5,006 birds had died of the disease.
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Our Correspondent
Nurpur, January 14
The water samples of the Pong Wetland have been found free from contamination and fit for fishing. The testing conducted by the Jal Shakti Department assessed 16 parameters in the wake of the avian flu outbreak in the wetland.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Raul M Rahane said the testing was conducted to rule out contamination in the wetland. “The wetland is free from water-borne contamination and pollution,” he asserted.
The report brings respite to the over 2,800 fishermen who eke a living by fishing in the wetland. On January 3, the district administration had suspended fishing in the wetland after the outbreak of avian flu. Sources said the authorities could now withdraw that order.
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