At a time when governments across the world are making efforts to go green and push for environment friendly development, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is coming up with the concept of mini bird sanctuaries or what may be called ‘Amrit Mahotsav Bird Garden’ around expressways and highways.
Speaking to News18, a ministry official said the idea is in the conceptual stage and the nitty-gritty of the project is being planned. Among the projects where these parks can be expected first is the upcoming Delhi-Dehradun expressway. The basic plan is to develop the bird park on the land available near the roads.
“The minister (Nitin Gadkari) has spoken to the MPs for the beautification of the Delhi-Dehradun expressway and the plantation around it. He has also asked them to build one bird garden in their respective constituencies in whatever land they can manage,” the official said, demanding anonymity.
Some land around the expressways and highways will be identified to be developed as a bird park. It can be anything between three to five acres or whatever is possible, the official said.
“This stretch will have local plants and the focus should be on fruit-bearing trees. Humans will not be allowed in these stretches and they cannot eat those fruits as well. These fruits will only be for birds,” the official explained.
While Gadkari has asked the Lok Sabha MPs to make at least one bird park in their constituencies for the Delhi-Dehradun expressway, he has said he will make a similar request to other MPs too.
“The minister has said that he will be talking to the other MPs to develop at least one such park in their constituency around the expressway and highways in the coming time,” the official added.
Being sensitive to habitat change, birds are an indicator of environmental hazards and thus are an important tool for measuring the health of environments.
Last year, the fifth edition of the flagship science publication State of the World’s Birds was released that declared that nearly half of the planet’s bird species are in decline. It claimed that at least 187 species of birds are either suspected or confirmed to be extinct since the year 1500, and that one in eight species is currently endangered.
As per information from BirdLife International, India is the world’s largest nature conservation partnership to preserve birds and their habitats. It is home to 1,210 bird species, of which 93 are globally threatened. Human activities are a major source of the pressures resulting in bird population losses.
“With these parks, the ministry will attempt to do its bit in conserving not just birds but also the environment,” the official added.
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