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DAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES AND THEIR IMPACTS ON HIMALAYAN BIRDS

DAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES AND THEIR IMPACTS ON HIMALAYAN BIRDS


Virat Jolli: In a study conducted in upper Beas valley, Himachal Pradesh, the impacts of Parvati Hydro electric Project development on Himalayan birds was investigated. In the study Sainj valley is extensively surveyed which is a part of upper Beas valley comes under sensitive ecosystem zone with mixed conifers and broadleaf forests. These forests provide suitable habitats to Schedule-I to Schedule-IV birds and animals e.g. Snow Leopard, Blue sheep, Western Tragopan, Cheer Pheasant, Himalayan Monal, Kaleej Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant and Himalayan Griffon etc. The region also has fast flowing streams and river which are being exploited to generate electricity therefore number of Hydro electric Projects like Pandoh Dam, PHEP and Sainj Hydro electric Project are constructed.
Dam construction causes regional scale land use change due to road construction, tunnel boring, impoundment of river, dumping of earth material along the slopes of mountain, establishment of labour colonies and influx of large number of people. During the study tree nesting bird abundance declined with increase in HEPs disturbance. The avian species richness and abundance also reported to decrease in areas where HEPs construction was underway. The study showed shrub cover is also critical for maintaining avian diversity in Sainj Valley. Some bird species are more sensitive to HEP development as there abundances declined with increase in HEPs disturbance that include, Western tragopan, Himalayan woodpecker, Bar tailed treecreeper, Ultramarine flycatcher, Cheer pheasant, Oriental turtle dove, Great Barbet, Dark throated thrush and Grey headed canary flycatcher.
Sainj Power Station part of Parvati Hydro Electric Project Stage-II, Kullu HP, India

Birds of Himalayas: 1st Left Paradise Flycather, 2nd Right Common Rose Finch, 3rd Left Chukar and 4th Right Blue Capped Rock Thrush

Based on land use/land cover satellite maps showed land use change in the valley which likely to affect bird diversity of Sainj valley. Our study also showed bird community changed within degraded habitats due to HEPs. Therefore with the commencement of PHEP Himalayan birds have been affected.
The researcher said, “India’s primary forest is fast disappearing  these forest are critical for our ecosystem health, Himalayas constitutes important and major forest cover of India along with many endemic plant and animal species and therefore any development project proposed in eco sensitive zone should be avoided and only be allowed after comprehensive and long term EIA studies”.
Source: Jolli, V., 2017. Hydro Power Development and Its Impacts on the Habitats and Diversity of Montane Birds of Western Himalayas. Vestnik Zoologii, 51(4), pp.311-324. https://doi.org/10.1515/vzoo-2017-0036



 UILDING ACTIVITIES AND THEIR IMPACTS ON HIMALAYAN BIRDS

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