Society for animals to fund centre for birds

An unfinished cage at Karnala Bird Sanctuary

The forest department has approached the Thane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA) to raise funds for the repair work of the three cages at the Karnala Bird Sanctuary. These cages will be used as a temporary recuperating centre for birds.

An unfinished cage at Karnala Bird Sanctuary

TSPCA, along with Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), had come up with an idea to convert the three cages into a temporary shelter for rescued birds this monsoon, as the proposed rescue centre in the city will take time to be open.

Speaking to Sunday mid-day, the deputy forest officer VP Patil said, "TSPCA will fund us by R1lakh as the department has Rs 50,000 in its funds, which isn't sufficient for the repair work."

Pawan Sharma, founder of RAWW, said, "We had been to Karnala to check the status of the work. The current cage will be divided into two parts for kites and aquatic birds like egrets and herons."

"The enclosure for aquatic birds has the capacity to hold water and we will be adding turtles, fish and aquatic plants which will be favourable to recovering birds," he adds.

mid-day had earlier reported on how the forest department came up with a proposal for a rescue centre for birds in the city and how Karnala was considered an apt place for the same. "We are in the process of arranging funds. However, the repair work is going on smoothly. The amount will be handed over to the forest department as soon as the project is completed," said Debashish Majumdaar, VP, Thane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.