Barbed wire fencing in Rajendra Park: Environmentalists raise concern
Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), TC Nautiyal, said that the park is in the jurisdiction of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC), which is fencing the park.
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Rajendra Park is spread in approximately 400 acres. (Express Photo)Environmentalists raised concerns over the 30-feet-high fencing around and mowing of thick vegetation inside Rajendra Park in Sector 1 claiming that the barbered wire harms the wildlife, especially blue bulls also known as nilgai, which is a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act.
A helipad is situated inside the park that is spread in approximately 400 acres. The helipad is frequently used by VVIPs including by the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana. Besides a helipad, a huge mango orchard is also within the park. Blue bulls, which is a protected wild species under Wildlife Protection Act, is found in the park in abundant number.
An environmentalist who raised the issue said that he has been observing the wildlife inside Rajendra Park for the past many years, and has never seen the “destruction of the natural habitats of wild species inside the park ever before like this”. “I was stunned to see the mowing of tall grass and unscientific fencing around the park which harms Nilgais and other species. There is a need of wildlife corridor. A team of UT Wildlife and Forest Department visited Rajendra Park. I am waiting the team’s findings,” the activist added.
Environmentalists demand a corridor – which is necessary as per the various guidelines of National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) – between the park and the neighboring forest area.
Upon the raising of matter, a team of UT Wildlife and Forest Department under forest officer, Devender Chauhan, visited the park on Saturday and Sunday.
Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), TC Nautiyal, said that the park is in the jurisdiction of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC), which is fencing the park. “Our team observed that fencing of the park should be in chain link mesh instead of barbered wire. Activists raised concerns which are genuine but so far we have not received any mortality report inside the park. Mowing of grass and fencing might be done in the view of security of VVIPs,” Nautiyal added.
“Nobody has right to destruct the habitats of wildlife. Besides nilgais, there are peacocks, red jungle fowls, reptiles etc species inside the park in abundance. The municipal corporation should protect this habitation while maintaining the Rajendra Park,” a member of the team that visited the park said. “There is need to create water bodies and change the pattern of fencing. The ideal of making a green corridor for wild animals is smart but it requires huge efforts on the part of many institutes including Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,” the official added.
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