In the name of development, the National Highway authorities along with the Forest department have gone on a tree cutting spree in the Kundapur Town at Sangam, that has in turn, killed several birds and other creatures residing on those trees. Ironically, the forest department is the one entrusted with protecting animal and bird habitats.
In pursuance of the proposal to widen the road from Shastri circle to Sangam, trees that stood for a century or more, their wide leaf cover providing breeding space to the pond herons and breathing space to the weary traveler, were chopped.
Pond Herons breed during September nestled in these very trees, and many of them, including their young ones died as they fell to the ground, and were crushed by the falling branches, besides other birds that reside in these trees such as water crows, parrots, pigeons and others too died as the trees were axed.
Locals, noticing their plight, and concerned for them, rushed to stop the gruesome murder. However, the contractor paid no heed to their request to stop or at least postpone the same for a fortnight, till the breeding season is ove. He claimed that he had a deadline to fulfill, for the felling of treesl, and if he were to postpone it, the contract would go to some else and he too would not wait, because he could not afford to.
NewsKarnataka spoke to Lohith, Kundapur forest range officer, who said, “The forest department had given permission to cut the trees for the entire stretch from the town till Honnavar. The work was progressing on the stretch from Tahiry area, and it would have taken more than 15 days to reach Sangam, by which time the breeding season would have come to an end.”
“However, as there were many issues with the road stretch near Sangam, the contractor directly diverted his manpower to the area, without any intimation to the forest department, and as they did not know it was a breeding season, these unfortunate events took place”, he explained.
Concluding, he said “the department has stopped the work right now for around fifteen days, till the breeding period ends and the birds fly away”. There is a fish market near-by due to which these ponds herons reside here, he added.
True, they have stopped the felling of the trees after the huge outcry among the locals and bird enthusiasts, but only after 90% of the felling was complete, and a number of birds and their young ones had died.
The National Highway Authority of India is equally to blame. However, Project Director, Shriram Mishra, when contacted, said, “We have followed all the required procedures and taken proper permission from the departments needed.”
He added, “We have deposited the required amount in the State government’s treasury, and also paid 50% on the wood charges. There is nothing that is unethically done. In order to avoid disasters and build the road properly, trees have to be cut.”
However he did say that both the contractor and the officials of the NHAI department were ignorant of the breeding season, and did not cause harm on purpose.
When questioned, as to why, even after several birds were died, and people protested, no heed was paid, and the workers kept on cutting tress mercilessly, Mishra said, “I don’t know about this, but surely I will look into the matter.”
Locals sniffle and protest
It is the locals, who rather than being concerned for their livelihood and development in their area, were most concerned about the dying and injured birds. They protested against the contractor and pleaded with him to either stop or postpone the felling of the trees, to which he paid no heed, trying hard to stick to his deadlines to ensure his own livelihood.
Locals, Krishna and Vittal Kanchan, who own garages on the stretch, and certainly would be the beneficiaries of this road development, said “We don’t need improvement at this cost. We need to co-exist with the environment.”
They also claimed that the young birds would have survived if the operation to cut trees had been postponed by two weeks. They said, “We called the authorities, but by the time they arrived more than 50% of the birds had died and more than 90% of the trees had been cut.”
Animal Care Trust
The Animal Care Trust (A.C.T.) at Shaktinagar in Mangalore, shocked and grief stricken at the wanton destruction of a bird habitat and the death and injury to many birds and their young ones, travelled all the way from Mangalore to Kundapur to rescue the birds.
They rescued one water crow and 25 pond herons of which, 7 were little ones and two were badly injured. They are being treated and taken care of at the shelter currently.
Addressing the Press, Animal Care Trust Chairperson Suma Nayak said, “The water crows and cranes fly away from these trees at the end of September, when the wings of the young ones grow sufficiently to enable them to fly.”
“If the tree felling operation had been postponed by another 15 days, lots of young birds would have survived, however in this era of development first, people do not think about these birds which is depressing.”
Other members of ACT – Shwetha Mendon, Tausif Ahmed, Clanute, Krishnaprasad and Aditya were present during the rescue operation.
There is a lesson for all of us in these events. Sustainable development, mindful of our eco system, is the only way forward. Thankfully, there are many who are concerned equally with their eco system, their own livelihood and development.
