Death toll of migratory birds in Rajasthan's Sambhar Lake reaches over 15,000

Over 15,000 migratory birds have been found dead so far near Rajasthan's Sambhar Salt Lake so far. Rajasthan Forest and Environment Minister Sukhram Bishnoi on Tuesday said that soon a wildlife check post will be opened to avoid such incidents.

"The municipality officials are carrying out a detailed rescue operation and they are collecting the carcasses of migratory birds. The birds in the unconscious state are also being brought to the rescue centres. The casualty is now reducing," said Bishnoi while speaking to the reporters.

"We had sent the samples of birds' bodies to Bhopal but Bird Flu has not been detected in any of those samples. We had also sent the samples to Bareilly and their team had visited here as well. We'll soon receive a report from there as well. The carcasses recovered from the casualty site in Nagur have been buried," he added.

Bishnoi further stated that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot chaired a meeting today and directed the respective departments to take necessary steps to save the migratory birds.

"Around 8,000 dead birds have been found in Sambhar lake and the same number of carcasses have been found here. Very fewer carcasses have been recovered from Ajmer," said Bishnoi.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation also visited the Sambhar Lake in Jaipur today.

Amer's MLA, Satish Poonia told ANI that "Primarily we have witnessed a few things on the site itself. Many officials including members of NGOs, forest department officials, animal husbandry officials, municipality officials, and many agencies are working together in this regard. This is a kind of natural calamity. It seems like the rescue agencies became alert after almost 15 days when the calamity must have occurred."

"Necessary steps should have been taken earlier. Agencies are working together in this direction now but I believe their efforts are inappropriate. Although a lab in Bikaner has revealed the probably the deaths might have caused due to Avian botulism but I believe it is an insufficient report," he added.

Poonia further added that rescue centres should be made near the spot from where the carcasses are being recovered.

"There is a requirement of the lab over here as we have not received the reports from other cities so far," said Poonia.