Pathway work in Vishwamitri project likely to affect croc nesting sites

Surprisingly,the state Forest department has no specific information on whether the work has affected the nesting sites or not. Moreover,there is no communication from the VMC officials either.

The pathway is being made by leveling the surface on the riverbank so that the machinery can move closer to the river. In the second stage,the machinery will start the removal of silt from the river to make it deeper and wider. At present,the work is going on between Bhimnath Bridge and Vadsar.

“We have asked the VMC officials to get in touch with us whenever they want the crocodiles to be shifted. We don’t know whether the ongoing work is affecting the crocodiles or not,neither have we been approached by anyone,” said Nayan Desai,Deputy Conservator of Forests,Vadodara.

Raj Bhavsar of Gujarat Society for Prevention of Cruelty against Animals said: “We don’t think that the work is in progress at present,as we did not see any movement in connection with the Vishwamitri project whenever we visited the sites. But if the work is in progress,we will have to alert them.”

The fact,however,remains that the nesting activity of the crocodiles has already started and will be at its peak in February. “If they make the pathway,they will be disturbing the nesting sites. As a result,the reptiles will have to be shifted to other places,which would lead to infighting between the crocs. The situation would worsen towards March-end and will remain the same till April and May,which is the season for egg laying. If these reptiles do not find nesting spaces,they might even intrude human habitats,which would certainly result in man-animal conflict,” said an expert from a national-level wildlife institute,on condition of anonymity.

However,the issue seems to be of little concern to the VMC officials. “The forest officials and activists are making an unnecessary hue and cry about the issue. We are just beautifying the river without any damage. The crocodiles would move to some other place when the work is going on and they would come back when the work is over,” said an official who is part of the project.