Sep

WTI and ONGC Provide Eco-friendly Dustbins to Sultanpur National Park

_{Mr Omprakash, Inspector, Sultanpur National Park (centre), receives the customised eco-friendly dustbins from Mr Monu Bhatnagar and Ms Manjari Nigam of ONGC}

Sultanpur National Park, August 1, 2016: Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) has partnered with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to provide 10 eco-friendly dustbins to Sultanpur National Park, Haryana. The dustbins were handed over to park authorities by ONGC and WTI representatives on July 26.

Located approximately 50km from New Delhi, Sultanpur National Park (SNP; formerly Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary) is a popular weekend destination for birders from the National Capital Region. The park is spread over just 1.43 sq km but hosts a variety of resident and migratory bird species – including globally threatened species such as the painted stork, black-necked stork, black-headed ibis, Pacific reef egret and woolly-necked stork. In winter the wetlands attract over a hundred migratory species such as the Siberian crane, greater flamingo, yellow wagtail, rosy pelican, wood sandpiper, Eurasian wigeon and the redshank, to name a few. In summers migratory birds such as the Asian koel, black-crowned night heron, Indian golden oriole, comb duck, blue-cheeked bee-eater and blue-tailed bee-eater can be found here.

Tourist influx to SNP has grown exponentially in recent years, exacerbating the problem of plastic pollution – carry bags, plates, wrappers and PET bottles carelessly disposed of within the park area, posing a grave threat to avifauna. While the Sultanpur Forest Department has taken measures to curb this menace, including the installation of plastic dustbins on all walking paths, more eco friendly alternatives were sought since the park is meant to be a plastic-free zone.

In consultation with Forest Department officials and ONGC, WTI organised the fabrication and customisation of 10 bamboo-based dustbins for the national park. On July 26, Ms Manjari Nigam and Mr Monu Bhatnagar from ONGC formally handed over the dustbins to Mr Omprakash, Inspector, SNP, in the presence of WTI and BNHS personnel. Members of the Sultanpur Forest Department were highly appreciative of this initiative by WTI and ONGC, which they said would enhance the national park’s eco-friendly credentials. The dustbins have been placed at prominent locations all around the park.