First annual Chilika Lake monitoring on Saturday

Bhubaneswar: Chilika Development Authority will take up the first annual monitoring of the Chilika Lake on Saturday.

Twenty-eight teams will be doing the survey from 6.00 AM to 12.00 noon with an aim to find out the number, range and distribution of birds, dolphin, sponge, reconstruction of evicted gherries, if any, etc. in the lake.

All the fishing and tourist boats have been requested not to ply from morning to 12.00 noon for proper monitoring of the lake, said Susanta Nanda, chief executive of Chilika Development Authority.

The tourists are advised not to visit the lake in the morning hours because of the annual monitoring and stoppage of boat for the same, he added.

28 teams consisting of Officers of CDA, Chilika Wildlife Division, Office of PCCF(WL), Odisha, members of different NGOs, members from Boat Owners Association, Wildlife Warden of Khurda and wildlife lovers of adjoining area are being engaged to know the exact status.

The results of the Chilika Lake monitoring report are expected to help Chilika lake in better management of the same.

The findings of the Chilika Lake monitoring report are likely to be made public by the evening of 25th February, he added.