'Let’s Save Deepor Beel; Let’s Save Nature': Shiva Thapa

Guwahati, June 13, 2019:

Ace pugilist Shiva Thapa has emphasised the need for preserving Deepor Beel in order to save nature.

Endorsing the #LetsSaveDeeporBeel campaign initiated by Inside Northeast Shiva Thapa said, “Nature is our life, nature is for what we survive. Let’s save nature; let’s support the campaign launched by Inside Northeast.”

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Deepor Beel is one of the biggest water bodies in Guwahati. It is one of the water bodies that actually takes the entire water loads of Guwahati city.

Since Deepor Beel is the only Ramsar site, it becomes all the more important to protect the freshwater lake.

The Beel has been struggling for its very existence since the past few years. Real estate players have been encroaching on it.

The Deepor Beel is a great food source and a great breeding ground for a large variety of residential water birds as well as a number of migratory waterfowls, amphibians, reptiles, insects, micro and macrophytes, terrestrial weeds.

Assam’s only Ramsar site ‘Deepor Beel’ is under serious threat for numerous reasons. The railway track that runs through it has turned into one of the major environmental issues. The proposal for the second railway track through the elephant corridor on the southern side of the ‘Deepor Beel’ has been decried by locals.

Following this, there has been a situation of unrest among the people in the Mikirpara- Charkardo area. Along with them, the locals under the Chakardo- Kalitapara Developmentb Committee have submitted a memorandum to West Guwahati MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, citing the issue. Apart from that, the committee has also approached the MLA to transfer the existing railway track to some other site.

In an alarming stat, since 1991, 14 elephants, along with numerous other wild animals, have been killed so far by speeding trains at the site.

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