Gurugram: The migratory chook rely on the Najafgarh Jheel, a vital wetland that straddles Gurugram and southwest Delhi, has dropped sharply whereas the variety of species inhabiting the lake has gone up, a brand new avian census mentioned.
The wetland, the second-largest within the Nationwide Capital Area, is a vital habitat for resident and migratory water birds however faces escalating environmental pressures and human exercise. The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) 2025 information indicated that Najafgarh Jheel recorded 82 chook species this yr—up from 64 in 2024— whereas the whole rely of birds fell from 6,004 to three,650.
Consultants attributed the decline to a number of elements together with international local weather change, unlawful fishing, encroachment, and extreme water extraction for agriculture. One other persistent subject is the development of the Massani Barrage on the Sahibi river, which has considerably decreased the water influx that sustains the wetland throughout drier months. As well as, sewage drains proceed to pollute the lake, degrading the water high quality and threatening birdlife.
“With out coordinated efforts from the authorities in each Haryana and Delhi, Najafgarh Jheel’s capability to host various birdlife could shrink additional. Lately, inadequate monsoon rainfall almost dried out the wetland—together with in 2024—resulting in a decline in water chook populations. Though a delayed but stronger monsoon in 2024 partially revived the jheel, human disturbances proceed to discourage migratory flocks, forcing most of them into safer marshland pockets across the government-controlled periphery and different non-public areas.” mentioned T Ok Roy, ecologist, ornithologist, and AWC State Coordinator (Delhi), Wetlands Worldwide South Asia.
Over the previous few years, inadequate monsoon rainfall has repeatedly prompted the lake to dry up almost utterly, resulting in a pointy lower in water chook populations. In 2024, a delayed however comparatively higher monsoon revived elements of the wetland, attracting winter migratory flocks. Nonetheless, their numbers had been decrease than anticipated, primarily resulting from ongoing human exercise. Many chook species, which did fly in stayed in marshland pockets close to government-controlled areas or non-public tracts of the lake that provide safer roosting and feeding grounds.
The AWC, a part of the Worldwide Waterbird Census, is carried out every January in 27 nations throughout Asia and Australasia together with India. Its aim is to help wetland and water chook conservation, and findings typically inform the designation of protected areas comparable to Ramsar Websites. Conservationists have highlighted the pressing want for strong measures to guard the wetland. Although a Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal (NGT) order—handed both in 2023 or 2024—referred to as for the wetland’s conservation, the federal government has not but issued a notification securing its standing as a protected web site.
AWC observers famous that migratory species comparable to Bar-headed Geese and Graylag Geese have skilled appreciable declines whereas the Northern Shoveler and the Frequent Teal have seen minor will increase. Uncommon sightings of Frequent Cranes and an Osprey recommend that the lake nonetheless holds potential for wealthy avian variety when situations permit. Regardless of this promise, environmentalists warn that, with out coordinated efforts from authorities in each Haryana and Delhi, Najafgarh Jheel could lose its capability to maintain the big selection of birdlife it as soon as did.
Conservation advocates argued for stricter regulation of fishing, stopping sewage discharge, and restoring pure water inflows to take care of the lake’s ecological integrity. They identified that defending it will not solely profit hundreds of resident and migratory birds but in addition bolster the general environmental well being of the Nationwide Capital Area.