The government has issued the directive after a news 'Poaching of migratory birds goes unabated in East Champaran' was published in the Times of India on February 5.

Lalbabu Manjhi, divisional forest Officer (DFO), Motihari, said on Sunday that after getting a letter from the government, the district administration had constituted two units of task force comprising BDO, range officer of forest, one police SI and one section of armed force in Piprakothi and Kotawa blocks to keep a vigil on lakes and ponds for the safety of migratory birds.

Bharat Dubey, additional collector and in charge DM, said the cell phone numbers of the task force have been published in local newspapers and people can call the task force if they find that such birds are being trapped or being sold anywhere by any one . East Champaran SP Vinay Kumar has also directed the police stations to keep an eye on migratory bird trade and take immediate action.

DFO Manjhi said the environment and forest department officers have already visited Sarrottar lake, Matawali lake and Budhi Gandak river and warned the local people not to trap migratory birds otherwise they would be arrested and case would be instituted against them. He said that a large number of migratory birds were taking shelter in Sarottar lake and other rivers and ponds in the district since December last to escape the freezing cold of European coasts and breed here in warmer environment. These migratory birds start returning in March.

It is for the first time, the district administration has taken an effective step for the safety of migratory birds in the district where more than 25,000 such birds come during winter season but most of them end up on the dining tables of affluent people of the district and big cities of state.