45 peacocks die in fortnight of water contamination in Gwalior

Forty five peacocks have died allegedly after drinking contaminated water in and around Narvali village in Gwalior district in the last fortnight, a senior forest official said.

"Forty five peacocks have died in and around Narvali village in a fortnight," the Gwalior conservator of forest, RD Mahla, told PTI on phone.

He said that 26 of them found dead on April 23 and the rest on April 30.

Mahla said that the post-mortem of 26 birds suggested that they died due to intestinal congestion. However, he said that the postmortem report of the birds found dead on April 30, was awaited.

"We have sent the viscera of peacocks for test to know the exact reason," he said.

According to Mahla, arrangements for drinking water for the national bird have been made around Nirvali village and close-by forest area. Forest guards have also been deployed in the region, he added.

Meanwhile, Gwalior collector Akash Tripathi said that the district administration has yesterday sealed a distillery in Rairu, following complaints and protests from the locals stating that the peacocks had died after drinking effluent released from the distillery in the water bodies.

The distillery has been sealed under section 133 of CrPC, he said.

The initial report of forest department too had indicated that the peacocks died due to intestinal problems, he said.