40 ducks die in Abohar, residents blame officials

Raj Sadosh

Abohar, January 9

At least 40 ducks and scores of other birds were today found dead in and around a pond at Seetogunno village, 31 km from here, on the Abohar-Dabwali-Delhi highway.

Local residents blamed the district administration for failing to protect birds in the wildlife sanctuary spread over 20 villages here despite reports of similar developments in other parts of the state. Irked residents placed the dead birds in the middle of the road that resulted in the suspension of vehicular traffic. Buses and other vehicles were routed through link roads.

The residents, including BJP youth wing block president Vishal Bishnoi and panchayat member Shiv Dutt Delu, alleged the Union Government had offered to raise a modern veterinary hospital in the area in 1992, but the state failed to provide land for the project.

At least 24 crows were found dead in Patrewala village last month, but the lab report of their samples was yet to come.

The dharna ended after tehsildar Jaspal Singh Brar assured the protesters that they would urge the government to provide the required manpower and equipment at the sanctuary.

Vinod Kumar, a resident, said he noticed 36 dead ducks at 8 am on the banks of the pond. He said another four were withering. Scores of owls, crows and other birds were also found dead at an isolated place.

The residents then informed the Community Health Centre (CHC) and staff of the sub-divisional office at Abohar.

A team from CHC, Seetogunno, led by Dr Sanmaan Arora, rushed to the area and advised villagers to wear masks and stay away from the site.

Wildlife Department block official Ashok Bishnoi, veterinary surgeons Manak Chand from Bhagu rural dispensary, Sukhminder Singh from Bazidpur Kattianwali village dispensary and PS Danewalia from Abohar hospital reached the village along with assisting staff. Two ducks were preserved for post-mortem and samples of other birds were taken for lab examination at a Jalandhar lab.

Even as the veterinary staff tried to play it down, wildlife experts suspected bird flu as fish in the pond were unaffected and only birds in surrounding areas have died.