Increase in number of bird species coming to Goa: Raghupathy

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-02-28
PANAJI- The Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Mr S Raghupathy, in a reply to the question of Mr Shantaram Naik, MP, on the last day of session, whether migratory birds reaching Goan lakes from eastern Europe and the Himalayas have failed to swoop over some of the lakes in Goa said that “on the contrary, as reported by the state government, the number of species of migratory birds coming to Goa in winter has increased from 37 species last year to 50 species during the current year.”
The minister informed further that the important water bodies which are visited by the migratory birds are Chorao lake, Carambolim lake, Bhatim lake, Pilar lake, Curtorim lake, Verna lake etc.
The minister also said that financial and technical assistance are provided to the state governments under various centrally sponsored schemes for conservation of habitats of migratory birds.
He also informed Mr Naik that important migratory species of birds have been included in the Schedules of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 thereby providing them legal protection.
India is a signatory to the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) and to the Ramsar Convention and is obliged to protect the migratory species and their habitats, including wetlands, the minister said.
The minister further informed Mr Naik that India has also signed a memorandum of understanding with CMS for protection of Siberian cranes and its habitat, and that, regular patrolling of the important bird habitats is carried out by the concerned state forest departments to check poaching.