The vulture centre which was developed near Kerwa dam back in 2010-11, for breeding of the endangered natural scavengers has failed to yield the result which was expected by the officials of forest department. Officials concerned had even under gone a specialised training in Pinjore, Haryana still the purpose of the centre to have over 125 vultures till date has not been realised. According to sources, the number of vultures in the center is less than 50 this year.
AK Khare, a former forest department official said that vultures are necessary for society as being natural scavengers which feed on the carcasses of the stray animals. With their dwindling population the carcasses can be seen dumped in various spots. He however failed to provide the reason why the center did not produce the desired results.
The forest department official whose idea is behind the establishment of centre- SS Rajput said that later Van Vihar also inked a contract with a Mumbai based- Bombay Natural History society (BNHS). The pact was done in the hope that every year 20 such vultures will be brought to the center hence we could have over 120 to 125, vultures till date.
However, the society kept dilly-dallying the process which is why the number of vultures could not be reproduced as we had thought, he added. “I don’t know how many vultures are there as I have been transferred from there,” Rajput added. Van Vihar director Sameeta Rajoura could not be contacted for her version over the number of vultures in the center.
