Chinese manja becomes a major threat to birds & trees in Botanical Garden

Kolkata: After killing and injuring several motorbike riders on Maa Flyover over the past two years, Chinese manja has become a major threat to the trees and the birds having nests on them at the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden at Shibpur in Howrah.

It has come up as a major menace in the entire botanic garden that is spread over 273 acres of land with 1300 species of trees including 40 percent rare ones. Authorities of the botanic garden had been noticing the same for the past two years.

But with the lockdown in place it has gone up. The reason being, as considered by the authorities, more people are flying kites as they cannot move out of their houses.

According to a scientist of the garden, Chinese manja does not get dissolved easily as a result it acts as a support for the "creepers" that is covering the main plant and causing extensive damage to the same. Citing an example, Basant Kumar Singh, Botanical Assistant of the garden, said: "It damaged many trees

including the rare Bentika Nicobarika.

This species of palm is found only in Nicobar island. We are conserving here in the garden."

There are 84 varieties of birds in the garden including the migratory ones. Many birds are getting trapped into the mesh of Chinese manja. "Many birds have died. We have rescued some birds.

Many of them have completely recovered while a section failed to fly after the incident as their wings have got heavily damaged," Singh said adding that today only they have rescued a Hill Mayna.