Avik Chakraborty
TINSUKIA(ASSAM), JAN 11: The Maguri-Motapung beel(wetland), was a paradise for migratory birds but now migratory birds are less seen in the famous wetland of upper Assam.
Maguri-Motapung beel is situated near Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in Tinsukia district.
The wetland is just 9 kms from Tinsukia and a famous tourist destination, where tourist from all over the world come to watch the migratory birds. Maguri-Motapung beel is a natural habitat to many varities of birds.
According to environmentalist, due to Baghjan blow out the entire eco-system of Maguri-Motapung beel was affected and it greatly impacted the birds and aquatic life.
“Mahuri-Motapung beel was a paradise for migratory birds. But after the Baghjan blowout the entire eco-system of the wetland was affected. Earlier, during this season, numbers of migratory birds are spotted in the wetland but now it was less in numbers. Even, the local birds which are coming in large numbers were not seen like earlier,” said Ranjan Kumar Das, bird watcher and vice principal of Tinsukia college.
He said, “Those were the days when Maguri-Motapung was paradise for migratory birds! After the Baghjan blowout and heavy silting the entire wetland ecosystems have been damaged. I predicted this situation longtime back in the year 2006 in one of my articles where I mentioned that due to heavy silting one day most of the wetland will be filled up with silt deposition and there will be no migratory wetland birds. This is all due to the illegal sand mining at the confluence of Dangari-Dibru river which is going on since long time back.”
“Due to the Baghjan blowout the entire flora and fauna of the Maguri-Motapung beel was affected. Due to the deposition of condensate, the population of local fish has been affected. We cannot get the early charm of the Maguri-Motapung beel, which is known for birds. Various species of migratory birds come here during the winter season but now they are not seen in the wetland,” Das, who is also an Ornithologist said.
Nirantar Gohain, an environmentalist said, “The degradation of the Maguri-Motapung beel was happened due to Baghjan blowout. The wetland has lost its old glory. Earlier, the wetland was full of migratory birds but now they are less see in the wetland. It was famous bird habitat of the region, which has lost its early charm.”
Picture credit: Udayan Borthakur
He said, “It has also impacted the tourism. Earlier, tourist comes in large number to see the rare birds but now they are coming in less numbers. A bird habitat has totally finished but who cares.”
“Large numbers of condensate has deposited in the wetland due to the blowout which cannot be repaired,” Gohain added.
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