Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is one of the lone and Oldest bird sanctuary in Pune. And the 20-acre park is been used as a dumping ground for garbage from Sangamwadi by the Pune Muncipal Corporation (PMC). Signs declare it to be under PMC maintenance, but no workforce has been allocated for maintenance and security, or for keeping records of birds sighted in the sanctuary. It is apalling that not only our authorities ignoring maintenance of the sanctuary, but are contributing to the conamination and pollution as well. It is impossible for citizens to visit and come away with pleasant memories.
It is becoming a destination for unscrupolous activities like Tree-cutting, dumping garbage and gambling, in addition to becoming a breeding ground for stray dogs, and emptying of sewage into the nearby mula-mutha rivers.
A drainage line that runs inside the sanctuary is broken and is the source of contaminated water pockets that become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, flees and sand flies.
Without any security systems, there are safety concerns, especially during early morning and late evening hours.
The sanctuary’s pollution is leading to a dip in the number of birds visiting, besides the shallow water habitat bird species like shorebirds or waders, sandpipers, stilts, snipes and godwits used to flock to the sanctuary before contamination of the river water increased.
The sanctuary used to boast of a diversified habitat with shallow water reserves as also rock outcrops. However, disturbances to the environment have reduced bird sightings drastically in the last six months.
See on www.greenpeacex.in
