Picnic chaos near Pobitora: Foresters alarmed as Chanaka Hills revelry threatens ecosystem

Guwahati, Dec. 29: Loudspeakers, bursting of crackers and similar environmental pollution near Chanaka hills adjacent to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is having detrimental effect on wildlife, leaving foresters worried.

Ahead of the picnic season, the district administration had imposed several restrictions, but revellers have been blatantly violating the directions.

Gatherings have been banned after 5 pm, and the use of high volume loud speakers etc has also been prohibited. But sources said little has been done to enforce them.

It is learnt that Pobitora Range Officer Pranjal Baruah has now written to the Morigaon district administration officials to control the environmental pollution around the habitat as they have been severely "disrupting wildlife". Loud noises, including bursting of crackers have been causing stress to the animals, besides affecting their natural movement.

Resort owners at Chanaka have set up multiple temporary huts and tents in the sand bars for attracting visitors. Use of high intensity lights was also repelling winter visitors like migratory birds.

"Parties are being held till late in the night. The revellers have been bursting high intensity crackers, using loud sound systems. A lot of plastic waste is also been generated in the area. Worse, the resort owners are also erecting fences which is restricting animal movement," a local said.

The foothills of Chanaka - part of the erstwhile Rajamayong Reserve Forest - are rich in ecotone species, having both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The area attracts migratory birds during the winters, serving as a vital site for roosting and feeding.

Among different endangered species, the area is home to the oriental pied hornbill, monitor lizard, ganges soft-shell turtle, leopard, fishing cat, golden jackal, civet, pangolin, hedgehog, Gangetic river dolphin, sambar etc.

There have been several incidents of man-animal conflict around the sanctuary in recent times, leading to loss of human lives and properties.

Several species rely on sound for communication, navigation and hunting like bats, dolphins and certain birds. Noise pollution can drown out these essential sounds, leading to difficulty in finding food, avoiding predators and attracting mates. Noise can also interfere with breeding rituals of animals.

"If animals become too accustomed to human activity, they may lose their natural fear of humans, leading to dangerous interactions. Continual disturbance from human activity can cause long-term changes in wildlife behaviors, population distribution, and even species survival," foresters said.

- By Staff Reporter