Stop illegal construction around Sultanpur National Park
The Issue
The Sultanpur National Park in Haryana is one of the most famous bird sanctuaries of India.It was established in 1972 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. According to the Haryana State Forest department, the sanctuary has been receiving winged visitors for over a 100 years.
The sanctuary covers an area of 1.42 square kilometres and includes a large wetland and flanking grassland ecosystem. Around 250 species of birds have been reported in the sanctuary.The park is home to a large mixed herony of Painted Storks, Openbills and Ibises that breed on the Acacia islands in the wetland. It also hosts near threatened species such as the Black-necked Stork of which a pair breeds in the sanctuary.
Every winter, the park is home to migratory birds that arrive from Eurasia. The wetland is filled with ducks such as Northern Shovellers, Northern Pintails, Common Teals, Gadwals and Pochards. In recent years, rare birds like the Long-billed Dowitcher (a vagrant to the region), the Baikal Teal and the Brown Shrike (both unusual for the region) have been seen at Sultanpur.
Recently, the Mail Today newspaper reported that illegal structures including a five star hotel and a dental college are being constructed , the first within 600 metres and the latter within 1.5 KM of the sanctuary. This is despite a blanket ban on construction within a 5 KM radius of the National park, which also the paper reported.
Developments such as these disturb the natural habitat during the construction phase while the increased movement of people and vehicles post development would create a permanent disruption to the activities of the winged visitors. Permitting these structures also creates a dangerous precedent and could lead to spiraling concretisation of the region.
To protect Sultanpur National Park it is imperative that all construction within the stipulated 5 KM radius be halted immediately and steps be taken to monitor the area to ensure that the ban is enforced. We seek the intervention of the State Government of Haryana (which proudly paraded its avian citizens on its Republic Day float) to protect a jewel in its environmental ecosystem.
The Issue
The Sultanpur National Park in Haryana is one of the most famous bird sanctuaries of India.It was established in 1972 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. According to the Haryana State Forest department, the sanctuary has been receiving winged visitors for over a 100 years.
The sanctuary covers an area of 1.42 square kilometres and includes a large wetland and flanking grassland ecosystem. Around 250 species of birds have been reported in the sanctuary.The park is home to a large mixed herony of Painted Storks, Openbills and Ibises that breed on the Acacia islands in the wetland. It also hosts near threatened species such as the Black-necked Stork of which a pair breeds in the sanctuary.
Every winter, the park is home to migratory birds that arrive from Eurasia. The wetland is filled with ducks such as Northern Shovellers, Northern Pintails, Common Teals, Gadwals and Pochards. In recent years, rare birds like the Long-billed Dowitcher (a vagrant to the region), the Baikal Teal and the Brown Shrike (both unusual for the region) have been seen at Sultanpur.
Recently, the Mail Today newspaper reported that illegal structures including a five star hotel and a dental college are being constructed , the first within 600 metres and the latter within 1.5 KM of the sanctuary. This is despite a blanket ban on construction within a 5 KM radius of the National park, which also the paper reported.
Developments such as these disturb the natural habitat during the construction phase while the increased movement of people and vehicles post development would create a permanent disruption to the activities of the winged visitors. Permitting these structures also creates a dangerous precedent and could lead to spiraling concretisation of the region.
To protect Sultanpur National Park it is imperative that all construction within the stipulated 5 KM radius be halted immediately and steps be taken to monitor the area to ensure that the ban is enforced. We seek the intervention of the State Government of Haryana (which proudly paraded its avian citizens on its Republic Day float) to protect a jewel in its environmental ecosystem.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 13 February 2015