President likely to open aviary near Sukhna Lake on Nov 16

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9

President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to inaugurate the much-awaited aviary at Nagar Van (city forest) near Sukhna Lake on November 16. Later, the aviary will be opened for general public.

The President will be in the city to take part in the centenary celebrations of Punjab Engineering College (PEC) on November 16.

UT Adviser Dharam Pal said efforts were being made to include the inauguration of the aviary in the President’s programme on November 16.

Set up on over four acres by the UT Forest and Wildlife Department, the aviary will house 1,470 exotic birds from 46 species.

The aviary will have separate enclosures for aquatic and terrestrial birds. The height of the enclosures has been designed keeping in mind the flight of the birds. Apart from free flight, the birds will be provided with the best possible natural habitat for nesting and breeding, said an official.

A committee constituted for the project conducted a study about the habitat, flora and water quality of the area before selecting the birds for the aviary. The aviary would be a major tourist attraction in the city and visitors would be able to see exotic birds from close, the official added. He said the aviary had been developed on the lines of Jurong Bird Park in Singapore.

Spread over 100 hectares in and around the Sukhna Lake Reserved Forest area, Nagar Van has facilities like walkways, jogging trails, nature trails, shallow water bodies and sheds for visitors.