The release of water from Rajasthan’s Kota Barrage has inundated the Chambal’s riverine islands downstream and washed away nests, nestlings, and eggs of birds, including endangered Indian skimmers.
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), an NGO involved in conservation and biodiversity research, tweeted a video on Wednesday showing a drowned birdling. “Sudden release of water from Kota Barrage in Rajasthan has led to [the] flooding of river islands in Chambal, downing the eggs and newly hatched chicks of the endangered Indian Skimmer,” it said. It added so far 22 Indian skimmer nests with over 60 chicks and eggs have been washed away. “Many more nests of Little Tern, River Tern, and River Lapwings have also drowned.”
BNHS appealed to chief minister Ashok Gehlot to halt the release of water for two weeks until birdling begin to fly.
Ruling Congress lawmaker Bharat Singh from Kota’s Sangod has also written to Gehlot and urged that the water be released into canals rather than the Chambal River. “Due to the release of water from the Kota Barrage, the nests, eggs…were damaged.”
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has categorised the Indian skimmer as endangered because of a rapid decline in its population due to widespread degradation and disturbance of lowland rivers and lakes. A BHNS research found Madhya Pradesh’s National Chambal Sanctuary is among the only known remaining breeding ground for the species in India.
Jyoti Dandotiya, the sanctuary’s in-charge, said it is a peak time for nesting of ghariyals, tortoises, and Indian skimmers. “They should not have released the water without information. It definitely damaged the eggs but the exact damage will be evaluated after the survey. If the level of water increases further, it will damage all the eggs.”
Sedu Ram Yadav, the field director of Kota’s Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, said they have asked the irrigation department to reduce the release of water and do so into the canals. “We have also deployed staff to rescue the birds.”
A Rajasthan irrigation department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the water was being released for an annual inspection of Madhya Pradesh’s Gandhi Sagar Dam and it needed to be full for the purpose. “Following the state government’s permission, the water was being released from Kota Barrage since April 30. On an average 3,000 cusec daily were released.”
BNHS’s member Manoj Kulshreshtha said the Indian skimmer, black-bellied tern, and river tern are river system birds. “The sudden release of water killed the newborn skimmers. Earlier, also sudden release damaged their nests but it did not come to light. The government needs to come up with a policy.”