Lok Sabha Question No. 2767 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Death of Migratory Birds
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Hanuman Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2767

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2021

## Death of Migratory Birds

## 2767.  SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  set  up  any  committee  to  probe  into  the  tragic  deaths  of migratory birds last year at Sambhar lake in Rajasthan;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  said  committee  has  submitted  its  report  to  the  Government  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (d) the main reasons of the deaths of migratory birds as per the report along with the steps taken to prevent recurrence of such tragedies in future?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) and (b) A committee comprising of the Deputy Inspector General of Forests (Wildlife), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi, Scientist, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and Scientist, Indian Veterinary Research  Institute,  Izzatnagar,  Bareilly  was  constituted  by  the  Ministry  to assess/inquire  on  the  matter  regarding  death  of  birds  in  Sambhar  Lake, Rajasthan in November, 2019.
- (c) and (d) The  committee  submitted  its  report  to  the  Ministry  in  December,  2019.The report mentioned that the cause of death in birds in Sambhar lake was Avian Botulism .

The important recommendations including steps taken to prevent such incidences as per the report are as follows:

- (i) Ensuring the enforcement of Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 by the State Government.
- (ii) Identification and demarcation of zone of influence of the lake.
- (iii) Stopping discharge of solid or liquid waste from any habitation or industry in Sambhar Lake.
- (iv) Regular combing for removal of carcasses.
- (v) Regular monitoring of fauna and flora of the lake.
- (vi) Implementation of bio-security and bio-safety measures.
- (vii) Capacity building for prevention and control of diseases of migratory birds.
- (viii) Declaring Sambhar Lake as a Protected Area.

The  said  report  of  the  committee  was  sent  to  the  State  Government  of Rajasthan for taking action. As  informed  by  the State  Government  of Rajasthan, the important steps taken to prevent such tragedies include:

- (i) State Wetland Authority has been notified vide order dated 27.11.2019.
- (ii) A  Standing Committee  under  the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan has been constituted vide order dated 24.12.2019 for regular and effective monitoring of Sambhar Wetland area.
- (iii) A sub-committee of the Standing Committee has been constituted by the State Government vide order dated 18.06.2020 for management of Sambhar Lake.
- (iv) A  Standard  Operating  Procedure  for  handling  birds  infected  with Avian  Botulism  has  been  issued  by  the  Rajasthan  State  Forest Department on 15.09.2020.
- (v) Surveillance teams have been constituted.

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