Lucknow, Feb 11 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has served a notice to the Uttar Pradesh forest department seeking details of the status of the Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary (Shaheed Chandra Shekhar Azad Bird Sanctuary) in Unnao.

The NGT took the step after taking suo motu cognizance of media reports on the issue published in December last year.

The state forest department, in its earlier reply to the NGT, mentioned measures taken to maintain the sanctuary and details of the birds present there.

Explaining one of the issues related to availability of water in the sanctuary, the reply stated, 'A few years back, there was a problem related to water availability during summer in the sanctuary but nowadays due to active support of the irrigation department, water is available the entire year at least in some parts of the sanctuary.'

'Sanctuary administration is managing the protected area as per duly approved management plan for betterment and enriching the flora and fauna of the sanctuary but we are always ready to accept and adopt good practices for conservation of the area,' said the reply.

/IANS