Rajasthan’s Keoladeo National Park faces water crisis as Panchana Dam supply dries up
The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Keoladeo National Park (KNP) in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur is facing a looming water crisis after deficient monsoon rainfall and the absence of its annual water supply from the Panchana Dam, raising concerns over bird breeding, biodiversity and the park’s fragile wetland ecosystem. Keoladeo National Park is home to around 336 bird species and attracts thousands of migratory birds from Europe, Central Asia and Siberia every winter. (HT Photo) Park officials say the wetland requires 550 million cubic feet (MCFT) of water every year, most of which is traditionally supplied from the Panchana Dam in Karauli through the Ajan Bundh (dam). However, no water has been released from the dam so far this season. “We have not received any water from Panchana Dam this year. Several wetland blocks have dried up, forcing us to shift fish, the primary food source for many birds, from dry areas to water-filled blocks,” said V Chetan Kumar, director of Keoladeo National Park. The park administration is relying on emergency measures, including water supplied through the Chambal drinking water …




