J-K: Wullar Lake gets CCTV surveillance to curb bird poaching in Bandipore

Bandipore (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 22 : To halt anti-poaching activities and protect the migratory birds that arrive during winter months, Wular Conservation Management Authority (WUCUMA) installed CCTV surveillance at various locations along the lake banks in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipore district.

WUCUMA Coordinator Mudasir Mehmood said that the purpose of installing CCTV cameras in Wullar Lake is to ensure round-the-clock surveillance of the lake area and apprehend anyone involved in illegal activities such as bird poaching.
"There is a fear of poaching when migratory birds come in during winter. We have taken up a multipronged approach. We have set up an anti-poaching squad. On top of that, we have added a technological layer in which we have set up CCTV towers on multiple towers so that we can detect any illegal movement," Mudasir Mehmood said speaking to ANI.

The WUCUMA Coordinator said that following the restoration efforts at Wular Lake, several new species of migratory birds are coming to the lake.
"We are seeing a prominent impact of our restoration efforts. Multiple birds are coming in. Last year, 4-5 new species of birds came here. This year, we hope to break last year's record," he said.
Mehmood said that the newly established watch towers have also thrown open the opportunity for the general public to engage in birdwatching without disturbing the birds.
"Moreover, the advantage of having watch towers is that the general public gets an opportunity to engage in bird-watching from a safe location without disturbing the birds," the coordinator said.

Residents have welcomed the installation of CCTV cameras at Wular banks, expressing hope that it will help put an end to anti-poaching operations in the area.
Lauding the work done by WUCUMA in recent years, Advocate Mudasir Ahmad, a local resident said that through CCTV surveillance poaching incidents are expected to come down.
"WUCUMA has been doing commendable work for the last 3-4 years. To safeguard migratory birds during the season when birds from Siberia and various countries fly in, WUCUMA has taken up a new initiative- CCTV surveillance, through which poaching incidents will come down," Mudasir Ahmad said speaking to ANI.

Ahmad said that CCTV cameras will ensure that the production of migratory birds increases and poaching incidents come down.
"In the last year, we have seen that poaching incidents were quite high. Now the lake will be under CCTV surveillance. This is a good initiative so that the production of migratory birds that come from different countries increases and the poaching incidents that used to take place in Wulur in the past do not happen in the future," he said.
Muhammad Rafiq, another resident, welcomed the step taken by WUCUMA to set up CCTV cameras and said technology will be used for proper identification of poachers to bring down poaching incidents.
"The CCTV surveillance by WUCUMA will help to protect the migratory birds which used to come in winter in Wulur and there will be a close watch on the poachers. This a welcome step using technology from WUCUMA since it will help in proper identification," Rafiq said speaking to ANI.

Speaking on the work done by WUCUMA in recent years, he said, "The work that has been going on in the last 3-4 years, like removing encroachments, has helped to balance the ecosystem of Wular and increased the flow of water."