Kachchh/New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) : Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday reviewed conservation and habitat-management efforts of the Gujarat Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India at the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) habitat at Naliya in the Kachchh district.
In a message on X, Yadav said, “During my visit to the Great Indian Bustard Habitat in Naliya, Kutch, I interacted with representatives of the Jat Sumra and Darbar communities in ‘Khatala Sabha’ to garner their support in the conservation efforts of the Great Indian Bustard.”
“Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi ji, India has been laying emphasis on community-led stewardship for environmental protection and species conservation. The local pastoralist and agricultural groups in Kutch are key to ensuring the success of GIB conservation,” he said.
The minister also inaugurated the Soft Release Centre for the Great Indian Bustard at the facility and interacted with officials, said an official statement.
He was briefed on the significant on-ground progress achieved in the GIB landscape. It included restoration of around 11 sq. km. of grassland infested with the invasive Prosopis juliflora; raising of 30 km of predator-proof fencing covering 15 sq. km; the pioneering ‘jump-start’ intervention in which infertile eggs laid by wild GIB females were replaced with viable eggs from the conservation breeding programme.
Yadav was informed that the resulting chick from the second such attempt has survived beyond the critical first three months in the wild – a landmark result for the species’ recovery in Gujarat.
He also flagged off 33 new patrolling and rescue vehicles for forest and wildlife conservation efforts. These vehicles would be utilised across various divisions under the Kachchh Forest Circle for forest protection, forest development, wildlife protection, field patrolling, monitoring and quick-response activities.
The Minister later visited the Hariyalu Gram plantation in Sayara and was briefed on the Sayara Van Kavach initiative and an associated bee-keeping unit.
He planted a sapling at the site, inaugurated the Sayara Van Kavach and witnessed the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Deendayal Port Authority for plantation activities.
