NEW DELHI: Bird song held no allure for the authorities at a school near Haldwani in Uttarakhand
whose decision to fell a tree that was home to a flock of nesting
cattle egrets led to the death of some 250 chicks and dozens of
distraught adult birds were left homeless.
Finding the cattle egrets, a protected heron species, to be a nuisance, the management of Prabhat Tara School ordered the tree with the nests be hacked down. Dozens of chicks perished on the spot, while many others were buried in a pit under the supervision of the authorities.
On hearing of the wanton act, a team of forest officials rushed to the spot on Wednesday and got school principal Sister Dina and senior administrator Father Solomon to reveal what had happened. The officials recovered dead chicks near the tree and were led to a spot where more had been hastily buried.
Haldwani deputy forest officer Amit Verma said Sister Dina and Father Solomon have been charged under wildlife and forest laws and are in judicial custody. Forest officials have recovered evidence from the school - situated at a place called Chorgalia - and an accomplice has been held too.
The school managers have been charged under Sections 29, 39 and 51 of the Wildlife Act and Sections 4 and 10 of the Tree protection Act. "Sister Dina and Father Solomon were produced in court on Thursday and have been sent to 14 days judicial remand. We recovered only four live chicks, while an estimated 250 died and 76 nests were destroyed," said Verma.
The forest department was tipped off by complaints from parents whose wards told them about what had happened at their school. "When a team from the forest department raided the school, a huge Pakar tree was found lopped for which no permission had been granted," said sources.
Four live chicks and another four dead one were found among the cut branches lying on the ground. Initially, the management said that it was not aware of the matter but the accused finally confessed that the tree cutting had been ordered by them as the birds were creating a nuisance.
Finding the cattle egrets, a protected heron species, to be a nuisance, the management of Prabhat Tara School ordered the tree with the nests be hacked down. Dozens of chicks perished on the spot, while many others were buried in a pit under the supervision of the authorities.
On hearing of the wanton act, a team of forest officials rushed to the spot on Wednesday and got school principal Sister Dina and senior administrator Father Solomon to reveal what had happened. The officials recovered dead chicks near the tree and were led to a spot where more had been hastily buried.
Haldwani deputy forest officer Amit Verma said Sister Dina and Father Solomon have been charged under wildlife and forest laws and are in judicial custody. Forest officials have recovered evidence from the school - situated at a place called Chorgalia - and an accomplice has been held too.
The school managers have been charged under Sections 29, 39 and 51 of the Wildlife Act and Sections 4 and 10 of the Tree protection Act. "Sister Dina and Father Solomon were produced in court on Thursday and have been sent to 14 days judicial remand. We recovered only four live chicks, while an estimated 250 died and 76 nests were destroyed," said Verma.
The forest department was tipped off by complaints from parents whose wards told them about what had happened at their school. "When a team from the forest department raided the school, a huge Pakar tree was found lopped for which no permission had been granted," said sources.
Four live chicks and another four dead one were found among the cut branches lying on the ground. Initially, the management said that it was not aware of the matter but the accused finally confessed that the tree cutting had been ordered by them as the birds were creating a nuisance.
Later at night, Father Solomon led the forest team to the
school church where 29 chicks were found buried. The remaining chicks
were buried in a field a little further off. "The operation was carried
out during interval on Wednesday afternoon," said sources.
A school employee was made to chop the tree while the involvement of students in burying the chicks has also been alleged. Some of the children were very disturbed by the incident and told their parents who finally complained to the forest department. The raid went on till the wee hours of Thursday after which the two accused were finally arrested.
A school employee was made to chop the tree while the involvement of students in burying the chicks has also been alleged. Some of the children were very disturbed by the incident and told their parents who finally complained to the forest department. The raid went on till the wee hours of Thursday after which the two accused were finally arrested.
TOI
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