Day 1: Over 900 visit Chandigarh Bird Park to see exotic birds

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 17

On the first day of opening, more than 900 people visited the Chandigarh Bird Park today. Savita Kovind, wife of President Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the park yesterday and it was thrown open to the general public today.

The Bird Park received an overwhelming response, as more than 900 visitors were witnessed on the first day, said Debendra Dalai, Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, UT. He said the visitors included nearly 300 children. Entry on the first day was free, he said, and children in the age group of 6 to 12 would have to pay the entry fee Rs 30, while Rs 50 would be collected from persons above 12 years of age.

The Department of Forest and Wildlife, UT, has established the Bird Park on 6.5 acres at Nagar Van behind Sukhna Lake. The facility has got two small aviaries and two walk-through ones. The structure surrounds thousands of plants of varying canopies, which give an ideal habitat, food and shelter for these birds so that they can freely fly and breed.

Dr Amandeep Kaur, a local resident who came to see the birds with her two sons, said her sons were delighted to see so many exotic birds at one place. She said it was a good initiative of the UT Administration as the aviary would not only bring people close to birds and nature, but it would also generate revenue for the Administration.