Puttenahalli lake to get conservation tag

Puttenahalli lake to get conservation tag
BY AMIT S.UPADHYE
BENGALURU


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: Termed as the ‘nesting bowl’ for a wide variety of aquatic birds found in and around Bengaluru, the Puttenahalli lake in Yalahanaka is all set to get a tag of bird conservation reserve.

On Saturday, a team of top forest officials and citybased bird experts visited to Hebbal lake, Puttenahalli lake and Nagawara lake in Bengaluru North division.

After the visit, it was decided that the Puttenahalli lake should be declared as a conservation reserve at the earliest to save the birds, including the rare migratory birds, and the lake itself, which is a natural habitat.

Statistics paint a bleak picture of just 34 healthy tanks remaining in the city, of which 14 are in Bengaluru North. Out of these, Puttenahalli lake is prominent because, during the breeding season, more than 7,000 birds can be sighted.

The avi-fauna of this lake includes some of the endangered and migratory birds flying from the Northern Himalayas and Siberia.

“The department has already submitted a proposal to the previous government to declare the lake as a protected area. With a new government in place, the department should take up the declaration of Puttenahalli lake as a bird conservation reserve on a priority basis,’’ PCCF P.J. Dilip Kumar told the this newspaper.

A study on the lake, conducted by the native biodi versity experts, has discovered that nearly 50 species of birds breeding here include darters, painted storks, black-crowned night herons, purple herons, pond herons, egrets, Asian openbill-storks, Eurasian spoonbills, little grebe, little cormorant, spot-billed ducks, purple moorhen, jacanas and common sandpipers.

During their visit on Saturday, the bird experts pointed out that the number of migratory birds visiting Bengaluru lakes has dwindled over the years due to mismanagement of the waterbodies.

“The bird population at Puttenahalli is encouraging and if the area is protected it can be developed as a research area for bird lovers,’’ said Harish R.

Bhat, a researcher with IISc.

The team also visited to Hebbal lake which has been leased out to a private player. The department is now mulling to maintain balance between recreation and conservation in the lakes which are listed for commercial development.

“We look upon lakes as living biodiversity, not just a mere water storage body.

The bird experts have suggested the developers not to harm natural vegetation in and around the lake,’’ said a forest official.