1700 artificial Chonga nests placed at 10 places
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 01 2020: With the common objective of saving Chonga (Jungle Myna), a bird once seen abundantly across the State but now seen rarely, Forest Department and the Chonga Foundation have joined hands, and they have placed 1700 earthen Chonga nests at 10 different places.

Taking serious note of the loss of bird habitats across the world at an alarming rate which is compounded by ever rising anthropogenic activities, Sagolsem Bankimchandra of Wangoo Ahallup launched a campaign of conserving Chonga by making their nests in earthen pots since 2001 .

1700 artificial Chonga nests placed at 10 places

Bankimchandra, now aged around 49 years, set up the Chonga Foundation with himself as its founder and president.

Acknowledging his campaign of conserving Chonga, Forest Department has joined the campaign and it is going on successfully.

Bankimchandra said that the Chonga Foundation and the Forest Department have placed 1700 earthen Chonga nests at 10 places so far.

These pots are specially designed for Chonga and they were made at Chairel.

This earthen nest consists of a pot and a smaller one which are joined together and each nest was purchased at Rs 120.20 per cent of these earthen nests are used by Chonga Amubi, 70 per cent by Chonga Angangbi, Uchinao and other birds, Bankimchandra said.

On being enquired about his zeal to conserve Chonga Amubi, Bankimchandra said that Chonga Amubi is a friend of farmers.

They eat pests and insects which would otherwise cause huge damage to paddy crops.

They can be taught to speak human language.

Chonga Amubi eats parasites which infest cattle.

Chonga Amubi also helps in the germination of many tree seeds including banyan and fig after eating their fruits, Bankimchandra said.

Informing that he launched Chonga conservation campaign on the theme 'no bird, no life', Bankimchandra said that he has been already felicitated by Forest Department for the same campaign.

DFO Thoubal L Devala said that she has been helping Bankimchandra in his efforts to conserve Chonga since she was serving as DFO Bishnupur.

She said that the Central Forest Division has also been helping Bankimchandra.

Directorate of Environment and Climate Change Deputy Director Dr T Brajakumar remarked that banyan and fig trees are no longer very common in the State.

These trees cannot be planted by mankind alone.

Bankimchandra's campaign needs more support and encouragement of the Government so that greater number of trees grow in the State with the help of birds, Dr Brajakumar added.