PAMPORE: Suresh Kumar Gupta, Chief Wildlife warden Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday inaugurated a pontoon boat in a wetland at Lalpora Chatlam in Pampore area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The boat which will be used for monitoring and preservation of the Lalpora Chatlam wetland.
“The pontoon boat will be used by our staff for onsite monitoring, it will be used as an office to keep an eye for poachers,” Kumar told Kashmir Reader, adding the facility can also be used for preservation of the wetland and for research by university students.
He added that last year that the department had submitted a proposal for the pontoon boat for monitoring and preservation of the wetland to the central government.
“The proposal was approved and rupees 15 lakh were released for the same boat,” he said.
He added that the department is working on conservation as well as beautification of the wetland.
Earlier , he carried out a detailed tour of a wildlife conservation breeding centre at Shikargah area of Tral forests.
“The wildlife conservation breeding centre for Hangul, Kashmiri stag, has been in construction for a number of years,” Kumar said, adding that Hangul is a very sensitive animal and they have to take a lot of care for its conservation.
“We have to adjust ourselves to the habits of the animal and we want it to move close to our breeding centre,” he said, adding that once it comes close they would close the gates of the centre so that the animal don’t experience any stress.

BILAL HABIB