Peacocks in Fazilka

Peacocks in Fazilka: The national bird of India and beauty of Badha Lake Fazilka is struggling for survival

On dated 20th February, 2000, seven peacocks had died after consuming some eatable sprayed with the insecticides including two peahens and five peacocks in Fazilka. Out of many only two peacocks have been reported alive in the badha region of Fazilka near periwal garden. Ironically, until today no census has been conducted of the peacock by the state and centre government. The sole stock-taking of the peacock population in India was done by WWF India in 1991. It revealed that India was left with only 50 per cent of the total peacock population that existed at the time of Partition in 1947. Wildlife Department of India officials admit that in India out of 100 killings of a peacock, just one is reported.

The peacock population in Fazilka has fallen down due to habitat loss, unplanned growth of concrete jungle in the form of residential units, contamination of food sources due to disposal of household waste and plastics nearby Badha Lake. While the green peacock is already believed to be extinct. Municipal Council Fazilka violating both Forest Conservation Act, 1982 and Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 under the able guidance of our so called municipal counselors and technocrats. Presently the Fazilka peacock entered into critically endangered list of Birds for this region. Now a day's peacocks are mercilessly hunted down due to great demand for their feathers and flesh peacocks and their fat, which some mistake as a cure for arthritis.

In an article published in "The Tribune" by Aditi Tandon where she mentioned the statement of Punjab Wildlife Department official, says, "It is easiest to kill a male peahen during the mating season when it dances around in the open and can be easily targeted. You can well imagine how threatened the peacock species would be when the male birds are being killed just before mating. It is also easier to hunt peacocks down because they sleep in the same trees every night

Fazilites will no longer able to witness a peacock dance in the rain in this Sawan, if we will continue to show our laziness towards environment. The peacock is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, India 1972. The Act prescribes a maximum imprisonment of six years, Rs 25,000 fine or both for hunting animals and birds specified on Schedule I. We need to ask our municipal council and other district authorities, for their role to protect fauna of our region that what kind of remedial steps they are taking to save this natural identity of our town.

The office address of the Chief Wildlife Warden of Punjab is given below; please spare your time made them aware about their responsibility towards the wildlife in Punjab

Chief Wildlife Warden
Punjab, SCO No. 2463-64
Sector 22-C, Chandigarh

पंजाब में अब मोर का नाच दुर्लभ

03 जून 2007

फाजिल्का- पंजाब के कुछ क्षेत्रों में मदमस्त मौसम सावन के शुरू होते ही जो लोग राष्ट्रीय पक्षी मोर के मनमोहक नाच का आनंद लेते थे उनके लिए अब यह दृश्य शायद दुर्लभ हो जाएगा।बड़ा झील के आसपास मोर के आवासीय क्षेत्र में पिछले कुछ वर्षो से आवास के लिए कंक्ररीट के जंगल का तैयार होना, घर के कूड़े कचरों और घातक प्लास्टिक के के कारण भोजन के दूषित होने से मोर की संख्या घटती जा रही है।इसके अलावा मोर के पंख की माँग और उसके स्वादिष्ट मांस के कारण शिकारी इस पर हाथ साफ करते रहते हैं। कुछ समय पहले तक पंजाब में बड़ा झील ऐसा क्षेत्र था जहाँ मोर बेखौफ होकर घूमते थे और मौसम के मदमस्त होते ही अपना जलवा दिखाते थे।वन्य जीव विभाग के आपत्ति के बावजूद स्थानीय नगर पालिका वन संरक्षण अधिनियम 1982 और वन्य जीव सुरक्षा अधिनियम 1972 का उल्लंघन कर रहा हैं।

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