After the many controversies, audit objections, financial jumbles, Chandigarh administration managed to get Bird Park inaugurated by Smt. Savita Kovind, Hon’ble First Lady of India today in the presence of Smt. Pushpa Devi Purohit, Hon’ble Lady Governor, Punjab. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Maneka Gandhi, and many local NGOs raised harsh objections and concerns about this Bird park while calling it Scam Park. The department had bought prohibited birds which they had to remove after the intervention of the Central Zoo Authority.
The city-based environmentalist Ashok Tiwari told The Daily Guardian, “The Department had also in Contempt of Court while doing construction inside the Eco-Sensitive zone and getting it inaugurated by the First lady of India, shows how shamelessly department and bureaucrats of Chandigarh Administration stoop down to inaugurate an illegal project.”
The Department of Forest & Wildlife, UT Chandigarh has developed Bird Park at Nagar Van behind Sukhna Lake. Main Attractions of this Bird Park are African Love Birds, Budgerigars, White Swan, Black Swan, Wood duck, Golden Pheasant, Yellow Golden Pheasant, Green Wing Macaw, Sun Conures, African Grey Parrot, Finches, and Melanistic Pheasant.
The department has planned the enclosure in such a way that the birds, apart from having a free flight, ability to nest in the natural habitat, will stay at the aviary and visitors will be able to walk past them.
Smt. Savita Kovind visited the entire Park and appreciated the efforts made by Forest Department. She shared that the Bird Park will help to draw the attention of amateur bird watchers, environmentalists, and ornithologists to this planned urban city where visitors can enjoy nature amidst their winged friends. The facility so created with a lot of commitment and professionalism will definitely go a long way in history.