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They flew down here every winter from higher Himalayan region to escape the deadly cold there. But this time the warm water body of Sukhsagar in Udaipur turned out more deadly, more agonizing than the icy chill of the Himalayas.
On Thursday morning people of Udaipur woke up with a shock as they found hundreds of migratory birds were floating dead at Sukh Sagar water body of Udaipur Khilpara. While the Forest department officials put the figure at unspecified ‘hundreds’, local say around 1000 birds died at the water body.
“The dead birds are scattered in the water body and it is very difficult to estimate the exact count. It seems that more than a hundred birds died. The reason of the bird deaths is yet to be ascertained, however, prima facie, it appears that birds died of insecticides used in the paddy field”, official sources said.
These migratory birds of different species come at Sukh Sagar water body during winter season every year from the upper Himalayan region and some adjoining countries.
Some people collected the birds for meat while Dogs had a field day and fed on the dead birds.
Speaking to the media, local people said that they had never witnessed such a scene where so many migratory birds were found dead.
They also alleged that a racket of bird poachers may be involved in this case.
On being informed Sub Divisional Forest Officer Kamal Bhowmik rushed to the spot and started an investigation.
Speaking to the media he said, from preliminary investigation, it revealed that the birds died by eating insecticide which was applied in the paddy land of Sukhsagar.
However, Bhowmik also did not rule out the involvement of bird poachers. Referring it as great harm to the nature and beauty of Sukhsagar Jala he said, Forest Department will conduct the investigation. Meanwhile, one bird was sent for post mortem in Agartala. The reason behind death will be revealed from Post mortem report.
