Sareswar Beel, a biodiversity hotspot, yet to be declared bird habitat

Dhubri: Sareswar Beel, listed in the Directory of Asian Wetlands, remains undeclared as a bird habitat and tourism destination by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) despite being a noted biodiversity hotspot in Dhubri district.Located about 6 km from Gauripur town and close to Rupsi Airport, the beel spans around 3,370 hectares. It was once known for large winter flocks of Siberian Cranes — locally called “saras” — until the onset of summer nearly a century ago. The Siberian Crane has not visited the wetland for many years, though the name continues to evoke the bird’s legacy among residents.Many university students and ornithologists have conducted research on bird species at the beel, from egg-laying and nestling stages to juvenile and flight stages, said amateur ornithologist Diptiman Dutta of Gauripur.“Sareswar Beel is a natural habitat of threatened species including endangered birds like Adjutant Stork and Large Whistling Teals. Besides these two species of birds, white breasted water hen, eastern cattle-egret, lesser whistling-duck, Asian koel jacana,and different species of drongos are sighted round the year. But poaching of birds as well as encroach of beel remain a problem”, Dutta added.Dutta said they have long demanded that the beel be declared a bird habitat, but BTC has yet to consider the proposal.Parbatjhara divisional forest officer Abhinas Basumatary told TOI that an NOC was sought by Kokrajhar PWD (Building) to develop eco-tourism around Sareswar Beel, and the department issued it.On the possibility of erecting bird-watching towers, Basumatary said the proximity of Rupsi Airport has led the airport authorities to impose restrictions on construction of “bird watching tower” particularly along the Sareswar Beel.