SRINAGAR: Haigam Rakh, a famous bird sanctuary near Sopore of North Kashmir Baramulla district, which was once a world famous sanctuary for migratory birds has turned into big patch of marshy land today, due to large scale unchecked encroachment. Due to large scale encroachments and insensitivity of authorities to keep check on human interference in the wetland, it has reduced a big pond, forcing migratory birds to find an alternative habitat as their winter home.
Residents from the area told CNS that the Haigam wetland, which used to be winter home for thousands of migratory birds like Siberian geese, ducks and cranes, hardly witnesses any presence of these now. Ali Mohammad a member of the group, who visited CNS said, “ Over past fifty years, Haigam Rakh has been brutally vandalized, with the result it has turned into big marshy pond today.”
“What once used to be home for thousands of migratory birds during the winter season, hardly witnesses presence of any of these now, in it”, he added. Another local Mohammad Sharif said, “Haigam had an area of 3500 Kanals, just half a century ago, but due to the human interference at large scale, it is reduced to 5 or 7 hundred kanals today.”
“People have constructed houses in the wetland, water cover has been turned into paddy lands through land filling, while plantation has been done within it, but authorities have never took a cognizance of the large scale vandalization of wetland, which is still continuing without any let up”’ he added. He further said that due to the plantation within the wetland, huge silt has accumulated in its base, due to the retention by trees and their roots, turning it into a marshy pond.
If the leftover of the wetland has to be restored, it needs drugging at a large scale”, he said. The group of locals demanded action against those, who have encroached upon the wetland and their eviction from the wetland. They also demanded the drugging of the Haigam Rakh, to make it viable for migratory birds to return again to this sanctuary.