Expert panel to investigate Sambhar Lake bird deaths

JAIPUR: The state government on Friday informed the Rajasthan High Court that a three-member committee of experts had been formed to ascertain the cause of mysterious deaths of migratory birds at Sambhar Salt Lake in Jaipur district.

The government has expressed its inability to collect and bury all carcasses and rescue affected birds because of the extent of the area where the birds have died.

Though the government requested for time, the high court has asked for a report to be submitted in five days.

The government also filed the preliminary report before the court after the bench, comprising Chief Justice Inderjit Mahanty and Justice Mahendra Goyal, had taken suo motu cognisance of deaths of birds on the basis of articles published in the media, indicating that the death toll of migratory birds at Sambhar Lake had reached the 5,000 mark.

Experts begin work at affected site

“Experts have reached the site and started work. In this regard, it is submitted that Dr Murlidharan, principal scientist, toxicology department, Salim Ali Centre of Ornithology and Natural History, Dr Anju, scientist, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and Dr Sujit, expert, Bombay Natural History Society, are already at the site carrying out investigations. Their report is expected in four to five days,” the government submitted before the court.

“Upon receiving reports of bird deaths , a team, comprising revenue and veterinary officials, visited the site on November 10. The tehsildar, nagar palika staff and veterinary doctors are working at the site. The carcasses have been collected and as advised by doctors, they are being buried in deep pits with limestone. Staff have been advised to adopt appropriate preventive measures such as using masks and gloves during their field visits and handling of the carcass,” said the state government in its reply filed by additional advocate general Ganesh Parihar. The government stated that operations had continued on November 11and 12, too. “Senior forest officers, led by the Jaipur chief conservator of forests K C A Arunprasad, deputy conservator of forests Kavita Singh and others, visited the site on November 12. A rescue facility has been set up at Phulera nursery. Animal husbandry team, led by Dr Shailesh Sharma, also visited the site on the same day,” the government submitted.