MALAPPURAM: Sand from the Kadalundi estuary is being mined recklessly and illegally, posing a threat to the bird sanctuary of Kadalundi.
Ornithologists and environmental experts have been warning that disappearance of mudflats in the estuary would lead to destruction of the sanctuary.
Although the Kadalundi panchayat permits mining of sand in a limited way from quite a distance from the Kadalundi bridges, large-scale illegal mining is taking place in the estuary.
The mudflats in the estuary are being destroyed by those engaged in sand-mining.
With the disappearance of mudflats, thousands of migrant birds which visit Kadalundi every year for feeding will have to look elsewhere.
Local people admit that the number of boats engaged in sand-mining in the Kadalundipuzha has increased in recent years.
Sand-mining in Kadalundi climaxes during the migration season of birds. Huge quantity of sand is being mined from the estuary every year using boats and pickups.
Ornithologists warn that disappearance of the mudflats will drive the migrant birds away as they would not find a place to feed and rest.
The mudflats of Kadalundi provide an abundance of microorganisms, including various kinds of crabs and worms, and are the biggest attraction for migrant birds which travel thousands of miles during winter.
A wide variety of migrant birds have been using Kadalundi estuary for a stopover during their transcontinental flights every year. They feed and rest on the mudflats for weeks before resuming their flight. M. Nasser, lecturer at Department of Zoology, Calicut University, warned that the mudflats would disappear if sand mining was not controlled.
He said the decrease in the number of birds visiting Kadalundi in recent years was a partly because of the unchecked sand mining.
Birds such as masked booby, frigate bird, Eurasian spoonbill, gray heron, brown skua, pomerine jaeger, spotted redshank, and various terns and gulls are found in Kadalundi.
Source: The Hindu, 28-12-2010
Ornithologists and environmental experts have been warning that disappearance of mudflats in the estuary would lead to destruction of the sanctuary.
Although the Kadalundi panchayat permits mining of sand in a limited way from quite a distance from the Kadalundi bridges, large-scale illegal mining is taking place in the estuary.
The mudflats in the estuary are being destroyed by those engaged in sand-mining.
With the disappearance of mudflats, thousands of migrant birds which visit Kadalundi every year for feeding will have to look elsewhere.
Local people admit that the number of boats engaged in sand-mining in the Kadalundipuzha has increased in recent years.
Sand-mining in Kadalundi climaxes during the migration season of birds. Huge quantity of sand is being mined from the estuary every year using boats and pickups.
Ornithologists warn that disappearance of the mudflats will drive the migrant birds away as they would not find a place to feed and rest.
The mudflats of Kadalundi provide an abundance of microorganisms, including various kinds of crabs and worms, and are the biggest attraction for migrant birds which travel thousands of miles during winter.
A wide variety of migrant birds have been using Kadalundi estuary for a stopover during their transcontinental flights every year. They feed and rest on the mudflats for weeks before resuming their flight. M. Nasser, lecturer at Department of Zoology, Calicut University, warned that the mudflats would disappear if sand mining was not controlled.
He said the decrease in the number of birds visiting Kadalundi in recent years was a partly because of the unchecked sand mining.
Birds such as masked booby, frigate bird, Eurasian spoonbill, gray heron, brown skua, pomerine jaeger, spotted redshank, and various terns and gulls are found in Kadalundi.
Source: The Hindu, 28-12-2010
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