Steps being taken to save remaining peafowl, Senate body told

 Legislative body of the Senate was informed that mortalities of peafowl in Tharparkar were outbreak of Newcastle disease that resulted into death of 250 birds while steps are being taken to save remaining birds. A parliamentary panel on climate change met with Senator Saeeda Iqbal in the chair in the ministry of climate change to discuss the reasons behind hundred of peacocks by mysterious disease and steps taken by the ministry to control the disease and to save the precious species of birds. Officials of the ministry informed the committee that low rainfall during current monsoon has resulted in scarcity of food and water has resulted into deaths of peacocks in the regions. They informed the committee that to eliminate this disease from the area 45 thousand doses have been provided in the affected areas to control the disease while another 25 thousand would be distributed soon. Officials told that similar cases of were reported in last year but mortality was quite low. Director WWF Sindh Rub Nawaz told the committee that one hundred and forty mortalities have been reported in the area so far while 49 peacocks are still affected. He said that out of total strength of 70,000 annually seven to eight thousand deaths are not alarming as physical age of the peacock is five to six years therefore annually no of birds died after completing their life cycle. Rub Nawaz told the senators that certain steps are being taken to control this disease and to control it in future. During the meeting Naeem Bhatti director Food and wild life Punjab told the committee that twelve wild parks and three Zoo are under the supervision of provincial government in which 43 kinds of animals and 88 kinds of chicks have been kept. He said that to avoid the spread of Newcastle disease in the Punjab, provincial government has completely banned the entry, transportation of birds in the province. Standing committee directed officials to ensure usage of masks and gloves during the time of vaccination to birds to save spread of virus in human beings. Committee also raised the issue of hunting of birds by foreign personalities and decided to hold a separate on this issue. Standing committee directed secretary Ministry of Climate change to maintain deep coordination with provinces to plantation of more trees nationwide. Situation in Changa Manga forest is so worst and there is dire need to take steps to improve it, committee observed. During the meeting officials of Pakistan Environmental planning and Architectural consultant briefed the senators about function of the department.