To keep an eye on birds’ activities and check poaching, department of Forest (wildlife), Haryana has decided to install high power closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in Sultanpur National Park, which is a bird paradise for bird watchers.
Famous for its migratory as well as resident birds, the National Park is situated in Gurgaon on Gurgaon-Farrukh Nagar road.
For over one hundred years now, Sultanpur Jheel has been attracting birds, said an official, adding migratory species reach here after covering incredible distance, when their homeland in Europe, Siberia and Central Asia becomes inhabitable due to cold temperature, snow covered ground and frozen lakes.
During summer and monsoon months, the park is inhabited by many local bird species. A total of around 250 bird species have been reported in the park.
The installation of CCTV cameras is a part of an advanced surveillance mechanism that will be put in place to check poaching and also study the birds’ activities. Cameras will be installed on strategic locations having a clear vision and officials will be appointed to keep a vigil on birds’ activities.
VS Tanwar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, Haryana, said the monitoring of birds has a widespread potential in numerous applications in ecology, climatology, and avian science. The high power closed circuit television cameras will be installed at some more vital locations in the National park to keep an eye on birds’ activities. This will help curb cases of possible poaching and disturbing of birds besides conducting patrolling at night to monitor activities. In addition to this, the new project will enhance the surveillance capacity of the workforce of the department, he added.
ML Rajvanshi, Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) said that the preservation of the ecology of the sanctuary is most important by keeping damage to the habitat at a minimum. Surveillance system is aimed at effective monitoring and surveillance of birds’ activities at selected locations and we have planned to complete the project of advanced monitoring system very soon.
"The project will also help us in effective monitoring and quick decision making," he said, adding "the CCTV cameras will be installed on electricity poles together and other important locations and power will be supplied by the electricity department". Power will be supplied through underground electricity wires.
He said that the installation of cameras would also help in reducing the number of deaths and minimising poaching and other criminal activities in the park. CCTV cameras will be connected to local control room which will be set up at each location for the data collection and analysis. Local control rooms will be connected to divisional/central control room.
Rajvanshi added that in forest areas, activities during night remain high as compared to day and night vision through CCTV cameras will help in monitoring activities more effectively. The cameras will provide live feed of birds’ activities in the covered area.
"The incidents are not only limited to birds’ smuggling, human interface in forest areas but there are many incidents which could not be notified due to less number of resources, huge forest area and highly active poachers and criminals in the area," Rajvanshi said.
Besides improving the forest department’s monitoring capabilities, the project would help the authorities in conservation of birds and other wildlife animals, identification of poaching or other wildlife crime prone areas, checking infiltration and illegal activities and in effective decision making, he said, adding the monitoring is being done with the help of department officials and this will continue but the project will enhance proficiency and capabilities of our workforce,
Moreover, every year, lakhs of people visit the national park to watch the birds. Bird lovers’ especially old men and women, children and others will be facilitated to watch the birds’ activities through TV screen from a common place within the park. CCTV cameras will be monitored by the officials sitting in district and state headquarters.
The Chief Conservator of Forests said that based on bird watchers’ demand, the department is also considering to close the national park for only two months in place four months from May to September.
Observers said that illegal killing of birds is known to be a particular and growing issue of concern. Illegal activities are by their nature often hidden and difficult to track, and monitoring the illegal killing of birds therefore requires additional considerations to those for monitoring bird abundance or distribution. Sources said that the increase in birds numbers, coupled with insufficient staff, is one of the main reasons for the department turning to install CCTV cameras to ensure the safety and security of birds.