Aurangabad: Even though Himayat Bagh is considered a rare habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna by conservationists, the forestry department apparently ignores it.
In its affidavit submitted to the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court, the forestry department reportedly failed to stress the importance of the Mughal-era garden as a unique biodiversity hotspot.
Regarding the diverse population of birds present in the Mughal-era garden, the forestry department said that “there is no report from any authority indicating the existing list of birds / species present in the garden. Himayat Bagh ”.
The affidavit, a copy of which is available from TOI, states:. “The written submission was made by the authorities during the public interest litigation (PIL) hearing aimed at the proper conservation of the Himayat Bagh.
Criticizing the forestry department for its poor knowledge of Himayat Bagh, Aurangabad Honorary Wildlife Custodian Kishor Pathak said the submitted affidavit was very different from the reality.
“The Mughal era garden has a unique biodiversity with a wide range of flora and fauna. It is home to different plants, shrubs, vines and unique trees in addition to being home to over 160 different resident and migratory birds. All of these facts should have been reflected in the affidavit, ”he said.
When contacted, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Forestry Division) Arun Patil, who filed the affidavit on behalf of the Forestry Department, gave elusive answers. “We do not differ from the fact that Himayat Bagh is a biodiversity hotspot. Further official studies are needed to explore the flora and fauna of the historic site, ”he said.