Painted storks: Officials forget AP's migratory guests

Anantapur: The district administration appears to have no sympathy even for painted storks (mycteria leucocephala), migratory birds that come from Siberia to interior parts of Anantapur district, as the birds have to fly to Karnataka tanks to  feed every day. The bird sanctuary is left in a state of negligence for another consecutive year. Not even the regular budget of Rs 5 lakh was allotted for minimum maintenance in the current year. The Forest department has to pay pending bills for the local NGO, which was taking care of chicks and injured birds last year. Various species of migratory birds fly to India for breeding and in search of feeding grounds every year.

In AP, painted storks are spotted regularly at Nelapattu bird sanctuary, Pulicat Lake, Telineelapuram, Kolleru Lake, Uppalapadu, Chintapalli, Chinna Madu-ru and Karivirala villages and Coringa Wild Life Sanctuary. “But a group of 1,500 birds prefer drought-hit Veerapuram in Anantapur district every year, except in the worst conditions,” Gundala Harol Philip, zoology professor from SK University, said.

Though, Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna had assured villagers of upgrading the bird sanctuary, nothing is evident. “No water is available in the local tank of Veerapuram and birds have to fly to nearby Gudibanda Tank in Karnataka,” villager Aswatha Reddy said. Presently, over 70 birds have arrived and begun nesting in the banyan tree at Veerapuram.

When contacted, Anantapur Divisional Forest Officer A. Chandrasekhar said it was proposed to rear fish in nearby tanks of Chilamathur mandal. “We will contact the DWMA authorities towards digging of farm ponds to provide water locally for the birds,” he said.