news details |
|
|
| Endangered Hangul on verge of extinction | | Official apathy alleged | | Muhammad Mukaram
Early Times Report
Srinagar Sep 20: The number of Hangul has decreased, thanks to apathy of the wild life department.
According to officials, the population of the only surviving species of Hungul continues to show a declining trend. "The population of Hungul has come down from 288 to 160 in the past four years. The 2011 census shows that there is a marginal decline in the number of Hangul from previous years," official sources said.
"The decline of Hungul population is steady. Despite the fact of decrease in hangul number the authorities have many times initiated various long-time programmes and spend lakhs of rupees on 'save Hungul campaigning' to preserve the endangered species but the state wild life department is in deep slumber." official source added.
The National Wild Life Sanctuaries Dachigam and Tral Shikaargah have become now the tourist destinations for the bureaucrats and top officials of other departments including wild life department. "These places were for the purpose of wild life species but bureaucrats and highly influence persons spent their week end at these sanctuaries. These places have now become "Araam Gah" rest place for top officials of wild life department," Sources said.
Concerned over the decline in hangul population in the valley, however, wildlife authorities last year claimed that they would resume the functioning of Hangul Conservation Breeding Center at Shikargah Tral but till now it has not taken any concrete step in this regard, thus leaving the famed Hangul breeding center defunct from years.
The Hangul Conservation Breeding Center at Shikargah Tral was established in August 2011 with an aim to increase the declining number of Hangul (Red Stag) in the state but within days, the first animal (Hangul) that was taken to the breeding center for captive wild animals.
Jammu and Kashmir wildlife authorities in November 2012 claimed that they have started a program for captive breeding of the endangered Hangul, the only surviving species of the Red Deer family in the sub-continent, in a bid to augment the dwindling numbers of the animal but till now the breeding center lies defunct.
Experts say that it is unfortunate that despite the availability of infrastructure and men at the breeding center, Government has failed to make the said breeding center operational once again. "There is infrastructure, employees but no Hangul in the breeding centre," said Nadeem Qadri, an Environmental Lawyer adding that Government is only wasting the money that comes from the Central Zoo Authority of India.
He said that there are huge funds coming from Central Zoo Authority but the state Government instead of showing seriousness to increase the Hangul Population in the state have started needless projects that have not yielded any result so far. "If government is serious to save Hangul in the state then Dachigam was a best option for any project," Qadri said.
While admitting the fact, Chief Wildlife Warden Kashmir, Deepak Khanna, said that they are hopeful that the Hangul Breeding Center at Shikargah Tral would be made operational soon. "There is not only Hungul Breeding Centres problem there is also lack of man power problem in the wild life department and I am hope full breeding centre would be made operational soon," he said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
