Sparrow conservationists of Ganjam invited to help in sparrow conservation efforts in mining areas

Sparrow conservationists of Ganjam district in Odisha have been invited to help in sparrow conservation efforts initiated in a mining area at Tensa in Sundergarh district.

Rabindranath Sahu of Rushikulya Sea Turtle Protection Committee (RSTPC), Ganjam and Lingaraj Panda, who played a major role in the successful sparrow conservation project at Purunabandha village in Ganjam district, have visited the area in Tensa. The authorities of the Jindal Steel and Power Limited has invited them for tips regarding sparrow conservation.

The mining colony, which has been recently adopted as home by the sparrows, is a part of the Tentra-Raikela-Bandal (TRB) mines of Jindal Steel and Power Limited. Company senior general manager Mahesh Raheja has said around 150 families stay in the mining colony which was established in 1992. A few years ago, all of a sudden a few sparrows were found at the colony. Sparrows are a rarity in this mining area located in the middle of dense jungle.

Number increased

According to Mr. Sahu, a few sparrows may have reached this human habitat by the trucks that ply to the area carrying essential goods like food grains. The inhabitants of this mining colony through their small efforts protected the sparrows. And now their number has increased many folds. Arun Kumar Kumar Mishra, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Banai, has also taken personal interest to enthuse the inhabitants of the colony to continue the sparrow conservation efforts. Mr. Mishra and Mr. Raheja have taken the tactical support from the team that had become successful in sparrow conservation at Purunabandha. The special artificial earthen pots, which the sparrows are adopting as their nests in Purunabandha in Ganjam district, have also been put at the mining colony.Mr. Sahu has said sparrows have started to stay in some of the artificial nests put at the mining colony. At present the sparrow population at the mining colony is around 300. If the conservation efforts continue, then their number will surely increase many folds, says Mr. Panda.

Source: The Hindu