Birds back in Chhangu to nest
Ruddy Shelducks at the Chhangu Lake on Wednesday. Picture by Prabin Khaling
Gangtok, Feb. 3: Migratory waterfowl like Ruddy Shelduck and Mallard have again started flocking to the Chhangu Lake to rest and nest, with the waterbody regaining its pristine glory after years of environmental degradation caused by tourism.
The lake in East Sikkim has been revived after three years of protective measures taken up by the local people under the guidance of the WWF-India.
“Chhangu was an important transit point for migratory waterfowl. They used to flock the lake in large numbers to rest and nest. But in recent years, they would halt at the lake for a few days and then fly away because of disturbances around,” said Usha Lachungpa, a senior research officer (wildlife) of the Sikkim forest department.
“But we are again seeing the migrants thronging the lake and resting in pristine conditions free from disturbances,” she added.
More than 30 wild ducks were spotted resting on the frozen surface of the 1.5km X 0.5km lake yesterday. The local people said the birds had been at the lake since December.
Chhangu is a nesting point for Mallards before they fly to the Tibetan plateau. Bevies of Ruddy Shelduck also flock the lake for breeding.
The lake at 12,400ft, 35km from here, is a famous tourism destination with more than 400 vehicles carrying visitors to the spot daily during the peak season.
“Over the years, the tourism boom degraded the lake and the surrounding bio-diversity. Garbage dumped by households and shops, lack of drainage system and vehicular pollution among other things threatened the very existence of the lake,” said an official of the WWF-India.
Awaken by the gravity of the environmental degradation, the government dismantled more than 50 huts located along the lake and shifted the families to a newly constructed building below the waterbody in 2007. A parking yard was also constructed below the lake to put an end to the fuel seepage from vehicles.
The same year, WWF-India stepped in and formed the Tsomgo (Chhangu) Pokerhi Sanrakshan Samiti in association with the forest department. Residents of Chhangu and Cheepu were made members of the samiti.
“We help the samiti in garbage management, de-siltation of the lake,” said WF-India senior project officer Lak Tsheden Theengh. “Earlier, there used to be lot of garbage accumulation in the area. But after 2009, we did a survey and found that the trash deposit has gone down drastically.”
The residents of Chhangu and Cheepu, who are the main beneficiaries of the lake’s tourism potential as shop owners and drivers, want the waterbody to remain as the source of livelihood for future generations also.
“There has been a huge difference as far as the protection of the lake is concerned compared to five years ago. Earlier, people used to litter everywhere but with the shops and parking lot being shifted and people becoming aware of the need to preserve the lake, there are tangible results of the waterbody’s revival. We want the lake to remain in good shape forever and sustain the livelihood of the families here,” said Chewang Norbu Bhutia, the president of the samiti.
The lake in East Sikkim has been revived after three years of protective measures taken up by the local people under the guidance of the WWF-India.
“Chhangu was an important transit point for migratory waterfowl. They used to flock the lake in large numbers to rest and nest. But in recent years, they would halt at the lake for a few days and then fly away because of disturbances around,” said Usha Lachungpa, a senior research officer (wildlife) of the Sikkim forest department.
“But we are again seeing the migrants thronging the lake and resting in pristine conditions free from disturbances,” she added.
More than 30 wild ducks were spotted resting on the frozen surface of the 1.5km X 0.5km lake yesterday. The local people said the birds had been at the lake since December.
Chhangu is a nesting point for Mallards before they fly to the Tibetan plateau. Bevies of Ruddy Shelduck also flock the lake for breeding.
The lake at 12,400ft, 35km from here, is a famous tourism destination with more than 400 vehicles carrying visitors to the spot daily during the peak season.
“Over the years, the tourism boom degraded the lake and the surrounding bio-diversity. Garbage dumped by households and shops, lack of drainage system and vehicular pollution among other things threatened the very existence of the lake,” said an official of the WWF-India.
Awaken by the gravity of the environmental degradation, the government dismantled more than 50 huts located along the lake and shifted the families to a newly constructed building below the waterbody in 2007. A parking yard was also constructed below the lake to put an end to the fuel seepage from vehicles.
The same year, WWF-India stepped in and formed the Tsomgo (Chhangu) Pokerhi Sanrakshan Samiti in association with the forest department. Residents of Chhangu and Cheepu were made members of the samiti.
“We help the samiti in garbage management, de-siltation of the lake,” said WF-India senior project officer Lak Tsheden Theengh. “Earlier, there used to be lot of garbage accumulation in the area. But after 2009, we did a survey and found that the trash deposit has gone down drastically.”
The residents of Chhangu and Cheepu, who are the main beneficiaries of the lake’s tourism potential as shop owners and drivers, want the waterbody to remain as the source of livelihood for future generations also.
“There has been a huge difference as far as the protection of the lake is concerned compared to five years ago. Earlier, people used to litter everywhere but with the shops and parking lot being shifted and people becoming aware of the need to preserve the lake, there are tangible results of the waterbody’s revival. We want the lake to remain in good shape forever and sustain the livelihood of the families here,” said Chewang Norbu Bhutia, the president of the samiti.
source;voice of sikkim
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