Sangareddy: Experts impressed by Manjeera’s bio-diversity

The experts from six South Indian states, and the Ministry of Forests, Environment and Climate Change (MoEF), who arrived at Hyderabad to participate in a two-day workshop, visited the wildlife sanctuary.

Sangareddy: Wildlife experts, who visited the Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary on Wednesday, expressed satisfaction over the bio-diversity of the Manjeera. Since the State Wetlands Authority (SWA) Telangana proposed to get a Ramsar tag for Manjeera, they have organised an exposure visit to experts. The experts from six South Indian states, and the Ministry of Forests, Environment and Climate Change (MoEF), who arrived at Hyderabad to participate in a two-day workshop, visited the wildlife sanctuary.

Additional Secretary Environment, Forests, Science and Technology and member secretary SWA M Prasanthi, Collector Sangareddy Valluru Kranthi, and other officials took them on a boat ride into Manjeera to explain the diversity of the location. They were taken to nine islands located inside Manjeera dam which were home for a variety of bird species. After an hours-long visit and interaction with the local forest staff, Sujeet Kumar Bajpayee, Joint Secretary MoEF, observed that they sighted more birds than they had expected even though it is off-season for migrant birds. He felt that Manjeera fulfilled the criteria for getting the Ramsar tag nod. However, he suggested that local officials follow the process of sending the documentation details to the concerned.

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Speaking to Telangana Today, Prasanthi said that they were putting all-out efforts to get the tag for Manjeera. Though they had proposed a total of five sites, she said that they were very sure of getting the tag for Manjeera this time. Photographs of a variety of birds captured by wildlife photographer Sriram Reddy were put on exhibition. The visitors went through the photo gallery while Sriram Reddy was explaining about every bird sighted in Manjeera. District Forest Officer Ch Sridhar Rao and others were present.