By Vedant R. Bharadwaj

1. CAN A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
BE A BIRD SANCTUARY ?
Our little efforts to preserve our
nature……

2. POWERING THE
FUTURE WITH
ENVIRONMENT
PROGRAMME
Under the ESP, a nature club at each
NPCIL site has been setup and named
after a threatened bird of that area.
Members of these clubs actively
organize and participate in various
activities from nature watch to public
awareness campaigns, butterfly
surveys to bird marathons, habitat
improvement to nature conservation

3. THE ENTIRE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN
THREE PHASES, FROM THE YEAR 2008 TO 2010,
ALMOST SAME SEASON EVERY YEAR (JANUARY
28 IN 2008, AND JANUARY 21 IN 2009 AND
2010) TO COLLECT REPRESENTATIVE AND
RELIABLE DATA.
Study of wetlands and other
habitats
AREAS AS PER THE LAID-DOWN
PROCEDURE
CENSUS OF BIRDS AS PER THE
NORMS

4. Introduction
 NPCIL has launched its Environment
Stewardship Programme (ESP) in 2006, a
voluntary initiative, with a mission to preserve
the environment, particularly the environs of its
nuclear plant sites.
 The programme, which is beyond the regulatory
and statutory fulfillments, focuses on the
scientific studies on bio-diversity, improvement
of habitat and conservation of nature within and
around the exclusion zones of Indian Nuclear
Power Plants.

5. A report on
capacity building workshop on scientific
methods for bird monitoring and habitat
management

6. The workshop
 A capacity building workshop on scientific methods
for bird monitoring and habitat management for the
members of Neithal Nature Club and trainees of
MAPS has been organised during August 29 to 30,
2013 at Environment Survey Laboratory (ESL) in
Kalpakkam.
 This two-days programme was organised in
association with Bombay Natural History Society
(BNHS) as a part of NPCIL's Environment
Stewardship Prgoramme (ESP) with an idea to train
the members of nature club and NPCIL trainees in
bird monitoring and habitat management.

7. NPCIL is really very active in environment conservation.The studies carried out under ESP
are very useful in nature conservation. Particularly the study results of wetlands and
waterbirds in and around MAPS and KKNPP helped to know the status of wetlands and the
waterbirds. For instance, the study of wetlands near KKNPP revealed that theCommon
Coot (a waterbird), which once found only in northern India, was distributed widely, almost
at all waterbodies, in the southern part of the country.
Another good example for the efforts made by NPCIL for environment is KKNPP site.
Kudankulam once considered a rain shadow region is now a place which has lush
environment. NPCIL in association with professional agencies developed the greenbelt
which is home to several species.This workshop will be very useful for conservation and to
develop more volunteers. Because, we need more and more volunteers who can help
conserve the environment. - Dr. Balachandran, Dy. Director, Bombay Natural History
Society

8. KAIGA GENERATING STATION (KGS) HAS BEEN
ORGANIZING KAIGA BIRD MARATHON, AN ANNUAL
BIRDING EVENT SINCE 2011 UNDER THE AEGIS
OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM
OF NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION OF INDIA
LIMITED WITH THE AIM OF IDENTIFYING BIRD
SPECIES AROUND KAIGA GENERATING STATIONS
AND KAIGA TOWNSHIP.
Kaiga Bird Marathon – 2014
Kaiga – Mallapur 14th January
2014

9. This year “Kaiga Bird Marathon-2014” was
organized on 12th January 2014. Bird watchers
and birding enthusiasts, one hundred and twelve
in number, from Hubli, Bangalore, Udupi,
Manipal, Hospet, Sirsi, Calicut and Mumbai
participated in the event. Professional birders
from North Karnataka Birders Network (NKBN),
Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Coastal
Karnataka Birders Network (CKBN) and students
from College of Forestry, Sirsi also took part in
the event apart from nature enthusiasts working
in NPCIL head quarters and Stations (Kaiga
Generating station, KoodankulamAtomic Power
station,TarapurAtomic Power Station, Kakrapar
Atomic power stations and KalpakkamAtomic
Power Station).

10. The area in and around Kaiga was divided into eight transects. Each team
had to travel through their allotted transect of 6-7 Km and record all
aquatic, wetland, grassland, raptors and passerine birds sighted by them.
All the data collected by these teams has been compiled and analyzed by
the organizers.The total number of bird species identified in this region
has increased to 227 species with the identification of 14 more species
this year.This year’s bird marathon alone has identified 180 species of
birds as compared to 162 species identified last year.This year during
Kaiga Bird Marathon, the 14 new species which have been identified
include Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus), Eurasian collared dove
(Streptopelia decaocto), Common rose finch (Carpodacus erythrinus),
Rufous tailed lark (Ammomanes phoenicura), Black napped monarch
(Hypothymis azurea)

11. NUCLEAR POWER CORPORATION OF
INDIA LIMITED (NPCIL), UNDER
ITS ENVIRONMENT STEWARDSHIP
PROGRAMME (ESP), HAS BEEN CARRYING
OUT SEVERAL ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION
ACTIVITIES IN COLLABORATION WITH BOMBAY
NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY (BNHS) AND
OTHER NGOS. MONITORING OF WETLANDS,
FORESTS, AND OTHER HABITATS AND ITS
DEVELOPMENT ARE PART OF THE PROGRAMME.
SEVERAL SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON BIODIVERSITY,
PARTICULARLY AVIFAUNA, ARE BEING DONE
REGULARLY UNDER THIS UNIQUE INITIATIVE BY
NPCIL.
Survey of Important Bird Areas and
Census of Birds

12. HEAD COUNT METHOD OF COUNTING FOR
BIRDS WAS ADOPTED WHEN THE NUMBER OF
BIRDS WAS SMALL. OTHER METHODS LIKE
SIMPLE COUNT METHOD, CALL COUNT,
TERRITORY MAPPING, VISUAL OBSERVATION
AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES WERE USED TO
ESTIMATE WHEN THE BIRDS WERE IN GREATER
NUMBERS.
IN GENERAL, THE CENSUS OF WETLAND
BIRDS WAS CARRIED OUT AS PER THE AWC
NORMS.
A LIST OF POTENTIAL THREATS TO WETLANDS
WAS PREPARED IN ADVANCE AND EACH
THREAT WAS ASSESSED. THREATS OTHER THAN
THE LISTED ONES WERE ALSO CONSIDERED
AND EVALUATED.
BESIDES, GPS DATA WAS COLLECTED FOR
EACH SITE THE TEAM VISITED, INCLUDING
ROUTING TO GET ACCURATE CO-ORDINATES OF
THE SITES AND TRACKS. A HIGH-QUALITY
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA, WITH
TELEPHOTO AND WIDE-ANGLE LENSES, WAS
USED TO CARRY OUT PHOTOGRAPHY.

13. THE SANCTUARY IS LOCATED ABOUT 86
KM SOUTH OF CHENNAI CITY AND 10 KM
SOUTH OF KARIKILI BIRD SANCTAURY IN
MADURANTAKAM TALUK. IT IS AN
IMPORTANT BIRD AREA (IBA) ALONG WITH
ITS SISTER SITE VEDANTHANGAL. IT
COMPRISES TWO RAIN-FED NON-PERENNIAL
IRRIGATION TANKS OWNED BY THE STATE
GOVERNMENT’S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
M O N IT O R I N G A N D C O N S E RVAT I O N
Karikili Bird Sanctuary
Co-ordinates: 12º36’04” N 79º 50’ 50” E
Survey Count
Year 2008 2009 2010
Total Count 6250 200 150

14. Karikili Bird Sanctuary is a
protected wetland of 61.21 hectares
(about 151.26 acres). Being a protected
site, there is hardly any visible threat
to the site but we suspect the possibility
of some grazing, especially during
the dry period when the tank is either
dry or has very low water levels.The
tanks have growth of Barringtonia
hortenisis and Acacia nilotica.We
observed some construction work being
carried out to reinforce the western-side
bund with stonework when we visited
the site in January 2008.The work was
completed when we visited the
sanctuary again in 2009.

15. SEVERAL SPECIES OF BIRDS, PARTICULARLY
SPOT-BILLED PELICAN, LARGE CORMORANT,
MEDIAN EGRET, CATTLE EGRET, POND
HERON, NIGHT HERON, PAINTED STORK,
ASIAN OPENBILL ETC., HAVE BEEN REPORTED
TO BE NESTING AT THIS SITE (SUBRAMANYA
S. 2005). IT HAS BEEN POSSIBLE DUE TO
THE PROTECTED NATURE OF THE WETLAND AND
AVAILABILITY OF ADEQUATE FOOD. IN THE
YEAR 2008, THE RAINS IN THE MONTH OF
MARCH PROVIDED ENOUGH WATER LEVEL IN
KARIKILI AND VEDANTHANGAL BIRD
SANCTUARIES, LEADING TO A SECOND CYCLE
OF BREEDING OF SOME SPECIES, VIZ.,
LARGE
CORMORANT AND ORIENTAL DARTER
(P. OPPILI, 2008).
Karikili Bird Sanctuaries

16. In the year 2008, we observed
about 6000 to 6500 birds belonging
to over 40 species.We observed
80 individuals of Spot-billed Pelicans
at the sanctuary. It was reported by
Mr. Murugan, stationed at the
sanctuary, that the population of
Black-crowned Night-heron has been
increasing steadily. But, when we visited
the site a year after, i.e., in 2009 winter,
we were quite a bit shaken
to observe that only about 200
birds of 12 species were seen. Even in
the next winter (2010) we witnessed
only about 150 birds.
One of the major reasons for the
discarding of the site could be the low
water level in the tank due to less rainfall.
Karikili andVedanthangal bird
sanctuaries, leading to a second
cycle
of breeding of some species

17. VEDANTHANGAL BIRD SANCTUARY IN
MADURANTAGAM TALUK OF KANCHEEPURAM
DISTRICT IS ABOUT 82 KM
SOUTHWEST OF CHENNAI AND CAN BE
REACHED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY NO.
45. IT IS ABOUT 48 KM INLAND FROM THE
BAY OF BENGAL. IT IS A RAIN-FED SEASONAL
WETLAND THAT ALSO RECEIVES WATER FROM
THE OVERFLOW OF THE NEAREST LAKES.
VEDANTHANGAL BIRD SANCTUARY IS A
SMALL, BUT ONE OF THE OLDEST SANCTUARIES
IN THE COUNTRY. LIKE MANY OTHER PLACES,
THE SUCCESS STORY OF THE VEDANTHANGAL
BIRD SANCTUARY BEGAN WITH THE LOCAL
VILLAGERS PROTECTING THE SANCTUARY FOR
CENTURIES. IN FACT, THE VILLAGERS PROPOSED
TO THE AUTHORITIES TO PROVIDE PROTECTION
TO THE AREA IN THE YEAR
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Co-ordinates: 12º32’80” N 79º 51’ 17” E
Survey Count
Year 2008 2009 2010
Survey Count 25000 27000 25300

18. LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES:
PAINTED STORK – NT
SPOT-BILLED PELICAN– NT
ORIENTAL DARTER – NT
AREA-WISE, VEDANTHANGAL IS A VERY
SMALL SANCTUARY – JUST ABOUT 30 HECTARES
OR ABOUT 72 ACRES, BUT A LARGE NUMBER
OF BIRDS ARE ATTRACTED TOWARDS IT, MAKING
IT ONE OF THE THICKLY-POPULATED
SANCTUARIES.
Being a protected wetland, it does
not face many of the threats that other
unprotected wetlands face in the area,
like hunting, encroachment, dumping
of garbage, etc.Two sides of the
wetland are protected by a bund, but
the other two sides are open and make
the sanctuary vulnerable to
unauthorised entry of humans and the
cattle grazing.
A large amount of bird droppings,
rich in phosphorous, in the small area
of tank make its water turbid and
convert it into liquid guano.

19. THE AUTHOR IS THANKFUL TO THE
MANAGEMENT OF NPCIL FOR
CONCEPTUALIZING, LAUNCHING AND
SUPPORTING THE ESP PROGRAMME, AND TO
LATE SHRI. A.I. SIDDIQUI WHO
INITIATED
THE ESP ACTIVITIES AND TOOK GREAT
PERSONAL INTEREST IN IT. HE ALSO
PARTLY
PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. THE
AUTHOR IS
DEEPLY THANKFUL TO THE NATURE CLUB
MEMBERS OF MAPS, TO THE FIELD
EXPERTS
OF BNHS AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE
SANCTUARIES FOR THEIR UNTIRING
SUPPORT.
Acknowledgements

20. Thank you
Can a nuclear power plant be
a bird sanctuary?
Yes!!