Wetlands in biodiversity parks in Delhi-NCR attracting migratory birds
Jan 06, 2022
New Delhi [India], January 7 : Wetlands in Yamuna biodiversity and Kalindi biodiversity parks are attracting migrating birds. Around 50 to 100 Bar-headed goose migratory birds have flocked to the Kalindi biodiversity park for the first time.
Scientist CR Basu, Head of Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CMEDE) said, Delhi has a large number of water bodies. Particularly the flood plains of river Yamuna have hundreds of wetlands.
"Many of these wetlands for some time have been silted up and therefore there was a drastic decline in migratory birds. The restoration of wetlands in Yamuna Biodiversity Park led to the attraction of thousands of migratory birds from different parts of the world," he said.
Delhi Development Authority in collaboration with CEMDE, the University of Delhi has been developing 7 biodiversity parks.
On the restoration of degraded wetlands at DDA's Kalindi biodiversity park, Basu said, "Once the DDA has notified us of Kalinidi Biodiversity park, we have been developing these wetlands. Now our first step would be how to make the sewage water into clean water."
"We have been working on natural-based solutions for addressing environmental issues. One of the nature-based solutions that we found out is the development of constructed wetland system which can treat the raw sewage into clean water within 24 hours," he added.
"We expect when the whole area will be restored, it will be a paradise for bird lovers," Basu said.
Yasir Arafat, a Scientist at Kalindi Biodiversity Park said, "Kalindi Biodiversity park used to be a place full of garbage and dump. The wetland was cleaned and this is the first time that migratory birds especially bar-headed goose and grey leg goose are seen for a few days."
Dr Ekta Khurana, Ecologist at Yamuna Biodiversity Park said, "We have planted shoreline vegetation and created different habitats for different migratory birds. There are many migratory birds that come from Siberia and Central Asia like the Northern shoveler, Northern pintail."
"We have around 35 species of migratory birds that are coming and staying here for 3-4 months and then they return to their original native country. This wetland is serving its purpose for the last many years," Khurana explained.
"India is one of the regions where these migratory birds migrate and they come to Yamuna biodiversity park because we have functional wetlands. We have restored silted wetlands in a way that these migratory birds are attracted," she said.
"The wetlands are very important. It does not only attract migratory birds but also renders a huge amount of ecological services for society. For example, it will mitigate the causes of climate change. The wetlands are a huge sinker of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases," she added.
