PAMPORE: Residents of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have appealed to authorities of the wildlife and wetlands department to arrange food grains for various migratory birds at Chatlam and Fashkoor wetlands, where the water has frozen due to extreme cold and the birds are struggling to find food.
Imtiyaz Ahmad, a resident of Konibal village, told Kashmir Reader that due to the freezing of Chatlam and Fashkoor wetlands, the migratory birds are facing acute shortage of food.
“We appeal to the wetland authorities to arrange food grains for these birds as there are apprehensions that shortage of food may affect them severely,” he said.
The Chatlam wetland is spread over 850 kanals of land and the Fashkoor wetland over 340 kanals. The various birds which visit these wetlands include Mallard, Gadwall, Common Teal, Northern Shoveller, Pintail, Grey Leg Geese, Eurasian Wigeon, Ruddy Shelduck, Common Pochard, and Red Crested Pochard, wildlife officials told Kashmir Reader.
The migratory birds arrive from Siberia, China, Mongolia and Central Asia from where they leave in the month of October, when freezing temperatures in these regions make food scarce for them.
Block Officer of the Wetlands department in Pampore, John Mohammad, thanked the people of Pampore for their concern towards the birds and assured that the department will arrange food grains for the birds in a day or two, “so that they don’t suffer any shortage of food,” he told Kashmir Reader.
Wildlife Warden Ifshaan Devaan told Kashmir Reader that they have procured food grains for the migratory birds.
“We have procured paddy grain and officials will be directed to provide the same in Pampore wetlands,” she said.
She also thanked the Pampore residents for showing concern for these avian guests.

BILAL HABIB