The boating activity revived by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in the last 45 days at the lower Katraj lake inside the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Parkhas driven away most birds.This was concluded by the Tiger Action Force (TAF), a group of avid bird watchers and naturalists, who studied the lake and its environs for the last one year.
According to Siddharth Pai of TAF, when the corporation suspended the boating on the lake on November 15, 2008, after a crocodile was sighted on its bank, there was an exponential increase in the presence of birds till October 12, 2009 — the day the crocodile was caught.
“We saw the population of spot-billed ducks go up from 20 to 250, which is extraordinary, while the painted storks went from 0 to 7, the purple moorhens went from 4 to 20 and even the spoonbills went from 0 to 21 birds in just one year,” Pai said.
“However, all this changedthe moment the civic body netted the crocodile and the MTDC renewed the boating activity. The bird numbers have fallen drastically and its connection with human interference cannot be ignored,” said Pai.
However, all is not lost. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) which has allocated Rs17.96 crore from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) funds for the development of both the upper Katraj lake (14 acres) and the lower Katraj lake ( 29 acres) has decided to shift the boating activity to the upper lake soon.
Municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade said, “We are of the view that the Katraj lower lake (inside the zoo) must be preserved as a micro-eco system. It must be allowed to flourish and carve its own natural identity. We plan to shift the boating and entertainment activity from the lower lake to the upper lake as soon as possible.”
Naik Environment Research Institute Limited (Neril), a part of the Pune-based DDA group of companies has been appointed as environment consultants to assist the civic body revamp both the Katraj lakes and the Pashan lake.
Project manager Chandana Ghosh Biswas told DNA that the upper Katraj lake was desilted in 2008 and a central, man-made island of one acre was created in the middle of the lake.
“A silt and a litter trap will be created at the inlet to keep away solid material. We will also create a large mound near the inlet to help grow wetland plants and biologically treat the incoming water. A jetty for the boating activity should be ready by June 2010.An independent ghat outside the lake for the villagers to wash clothes and immerse idols will be built.”
This means the boating activity will shift to the upper lake only next year which is hardly good news for the birds and bird watchers in Pune.
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