Defunct cement unit in Mancherial turns haven for winged visitors
Mancherial: The Mancherial Cement Company (MCC) may have lost its sheen following suspension of production caused by operational losses and outdated technology. But the calm and lush green premises of the cement manufacturing unit has become a sanctuary for various bird species, much to the delight of workers and security personnel.
Several trees located at the main gate and inside the unit, formerly known as Associated Cement Companies Limited (ACC), have been turned into colonies by cattle egret, black-crowned night heron, little cormorants and many other winged wonders for quite a long time.
“With the birds making the trees their home, the premises has come alive once again. Their activities – from breeding to feeding their chicks – offer a pleasant sight. The company surroundings are always abuzz with the sweet chirpings of parakeets, red-vented bulbul and many other bird species sitting on the branches of trees,” P Shyamsundar Reddy, Human Resource Manager at the MCC, told Telangana Today.
Cattle Egret
The winged wonders include some migratory birds that weave their nests on the branches with the onset of monsoon. They leave their homes in the morning in search of food and return in the evening. They, however, migrate to other places during summer as they cannot find drinking water facilities here.
On the flip side, the surroundings of the plant and residential quarters have also become shelter for wild boars, monkeys and a wide range of reptiles.
The boars move in the streets from night till morning, scavenging for food and terrorising employees and morning walkers. Monkeys snatch vegetables and fruits from the residents and even foray into the quarters. The plants and weeds that have grown in the open space attract these animals.
One of the oldest cement manufacturers in south India, MCC is on the verge of closure due to operational losses and many other challenges. The plant was established on a sprawling 350 acre piece of land abutting the Hyderabad-Nagpur highway, using advanced German technology in 1958, with an installed capacity of 1,000 metric tonnes per day.
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