Kundapur: Bird Sanctuary at Malyady Cries for Restoration

from Vinay Pais   
for Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SM)

Kundapur, Sep 16: It is a natural pond in a village called Malyady with an extensive area of more than fifty acres. Several migratory birds from Australia, Siberia and Tibet and from other Indian states as well come to this sanctuary and take shelter for some time.  But the present state of the sanctuary clearly indicates the negligence of concerned persons in maintaining and promoting this natural tourist spot.

But for several decades the pond is being exploited for mining clay for tile factories situated in and around Kundapur town.

Once it was a nesting place for the migratory birds like ducks, seagulls, storks, cranes and kingfishers. Now the pond is losing its charm not only for them but for the tourists as well.

Occasionally during the winter season amateur bird-lovers, bird-watchers and ornithologists would come and visit the place, when it would suddenly wake up to the chirping sounds of these aquatic creatures. Even then the birds sanctuary at Malyady is a living testimony to the pathetic, callous and total indifference and mismanagement of government officials.

As a minister Prof BK Chandrashekhar, now the chairman of the legislative council, once visited the pond and promised to arrange for the abhor grant to rejuvenate the sanctuary but so far nothing fruitful has happened.

On the other hand tourism department too has to be blamed for the same.  Add to it, the halfhearted attempt made by the local Gram Panchayat in collaboration with the forest department.  Their join venture has only resulted in haphazard work since often it will begin with a bang and would end up in a whimper.

Amidst all these dark clouds, the silver lining is that ornithologists like Dr MN Madhyastha and Dr MS Malli still continue to pursue their study in the flora and fauna of Malyady birds’ sanctuary near here.