Jaipur Indian Oil fire pushes migratory birds to Uttar Pradesh

Allahabad, Nov 6 : The nearly week-long fire at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) depot in Jaipur and the resultant smoke has forced a large number of migratory birds visiting the Bharatpur bird sanctuary near there to fly to wetlands in Uttar Pradesh.

The birds have now started reaching Allahabad, another preferred spot of migratory birds.

"There is a sudden increase in the number of migratory birds arriving here this year. Although migratory birds do visit the Sangam locality every year but this year it is earlier than the expected time (January) and their numbers are also very high," Sandeep Mehrotra, a professor of Zoology in Allahabad University, told IANS.

"It appears that the sudden climate change and rising temperature levels in Jaipur and adjoining areas has forced the birds to flock here," Mehrotra said.

Fire broke out in the IOC depot in Jaipur Oct 29, killing nearly a dozen people and injuring many others. The blaze continued for nearly a week.

"Various species of Siberian birds migrate to wetlands in India during the winter season when their grounds near the Artic zone freezes. Sangam, the confluence of river Ganga and Yamuna, is the preferred destination of these birds in this part of the state," Mehrotra added.

The species sighted at Sangam include Little Egret, Black Headed Gull and pond heron. With the increase in the population of winged visitors, the inflow of tourists has also increased.

"The birds travel through Afghanistan and Central Asia before reaching India," he added.

--IANS