Death pangs of Santragachi Jheel - arrival of migratory birds nosedives

The Santragachhi Jheel, the water-body off Kona Expressway, used to be a haven for bird watchers because migratory birds used to com here regularly. Until recently, that is. But, over the years it has been transformed into one of the places that our feathered friends are giving a miss. This is revealed by the fact that, while nearly 10,000 birds had flocked to Santragachi in 2010, this year the number has nosedived to a measly 5,474.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 15 January 2016.

The sad state of affairs is attributed to years of neglect and mindless construction that have come up in the vicinity which has turned the sprawling lake into a dump-yard of sorts. The health of this once natural sanctuary has deteriorated. Apart from the apathy shown by the civic authorities and dumping of garbage by locals in its stride, the lake used to see flocks of northern pintails and lesser whistling ducks till a couple of years ago. However, illegal construction has choked the channel that linked the lake to the Hooghly - and, that has sounded the death knell for the jheel.
In the opinion of environmentalists, since the water in the lake (jheel) has become stagnant, it does not appeal to the migratory birds. The stagnating water, sounds of construction of high-rises all around are not conducive to attract the birds. The signs of neglect are obvious at Santragachi Jheel because it has now turned into a breeding ground of hyacinths and weeds. And, the periphery of the water-body is littered with domestic waste.

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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