Vulture breeding centre in turmoil

Vulture breeding centre in turmoil

Indecisive future | BNHS and forest department are unsure about its development in Thane District and Malabar Hill

Thane: The first vulture breeding centre, which was about to come up in Thane district and Malabar Hill, is in turmoil as Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and the state forest department are unsure about its development. The ambitious project was approved and announced by the forest department at Dahanu and at Malabar Hill in Mumbai, in collaboration with the BNHS, which has its three vulture breeding centre, of which one is at Pinjore in Haryana. The BNHS and the forest department are in confusion regarding one of the mega moves to protect vultures as its population has declined from four crore in 80s to just a lakh in the country. The project was designed to allow vultures to breed within an aviary, from where they would be later released into the wild. The centre was to have 25 pairs each of the long-billed and white-backed vulture species. The BNHS had also proposed to manage the daily activities. As per senior officials from the forest department, the project was proposed by the BNHS and they had allotted the spots. “Of which, the Dahanu and Malabar Hill were proposed as small centres. The project’s estimated cost stood at Rs1 crore,” said an official. “We did receive correspondence and after that, we have been not intimated about its development. We will again speak to the authorities regarding the project’s development,” said Dr Mohan Jha, additional principal chief conservator of forest, western region. While BNHS officials have expressed their surety about their plans, but the vulture breeding centre is yet to get clearances. Atul Sathe, spokesperson from BNHS, said, “We cannot start the project until the assurance from the forest department. Only if they agree to fund the project and approve it, can we take a step forward.”