Fall in number of avian guests at Harike, water pollution to blame

GS Paul

Amritsar, February 12

The number of migratory birds arriving at the Harike wetland in Tarn Taran district is witnessing a regular decline. Officials say the deteriorating water quality could be the reason behind lesser number of migratory birds visiting the wetland.

According to the Forest and Wild Life Department, the average number of birds of at least 90 different species coming to the wetland from different countries, including Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia and other parts of the world, is between 91,000 to 94,000.

These birds arrive at the Harike wetland between November and February after water bodies freeze in their countries of origin during winter.

However, the number of winged visitors at the wetland has seen a downward trend as per the past data.

In 2019-20, for the first time, at least 83 species of 1,23,128 birds had arrived at Harike. In 2020-21, around 90 species of 91,025 birds were registered at the wetland. Their count further declined to 74,869 (88 species) during 2021-22, maybe due to the onset of the Covid pandemic. The 2022-23 migratory bird count is yet to be disclosed by officials concerned.

Admitting that the Harike wetland receives untreated industrial effluents from the surrounding cities through inflowing rivers, Kamaljeet Singh, Forest Range Officer, Tarn Taran, said the issue has been conveyed to the Punjab Pollution Control Board.

“Many large industries like the cement and paint manufacturing plants, leather and dyeing industries, pesticide and insecticide factories are located along the bank of the Sutlej. These industrial units discharge polluted water and waste into the Harike wetland, which affects its water quality,” he said.

He said a water treatment plant was the only solution to this menace. “The Punjab Pollution Control Board should study water samples collected from the Harike wetland and take necessary steps for its conservation and management,” he said.

Kamaljeet said the exact count of birds for 2022-23 would be disclosed only at the state-level bird festival. He said the bird festival would be organised on February 16 at Harike to mark the World Wetland Day.

He further said, “Taking into account, the average arrival of birds that could be 90,000 to 95,000 approximately, it can be assumed that their number has declined by 10,000-15,000 this season.”

He said, “In December, close to 40,000 birds of different species from far-flung regions of mid-Europe, Siberia and Mongolia had been spotted at the wetland. The exact picture will be clear only after the official figure of the birds’ census comes out.”

The Harike wetland is spread over three districts of Amritsar, Ferozepur and Kapurthala in the state and covers an area of

4,100 hectares.

The wetland is situated on the confluence of two rivers of the Indus river system — the Beas and the Sutlej.