In a dire warning from the floor of Parliament, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil has sounded the alarm over the imminent extinction of the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) in Gujarat. Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, December 19, 2025, Gohil highlighted a catastrophic population decline, attributing it directly to human activities.
A Sanctuary in Peril
The Congress parliamentarian expressed grave concern over the depleting numbers of the critically endangered bird in the state's Kutch region. He pinpointed commercial activities and the proliferation of windmills within the bird sanctuary as the primary culprits behind the increasing fatalities of the GIB over many years.
The situation has reached a critical juncture. Gohil revealed that the sanctuary now houses a mere three female birds of the species. He emphasized that the loss of these remaining individuals would mean the complete disappearance of the Great Indian Bustard from Gujarat, a prospect he described as a profound loss of pride for Kutch and the entire state.
Missed Opportunity for Conservation
Gohil further alleged a missed chance for intervention. He claimed that when Ashok Gehlot was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, an offer was made to provide one male Great Indian Bustard to Gujarat. This move was intended to aid breeding efforts and prevent the bird's extinction in Kutch. However, according to the MP, the Gujarat government showed no interest in accepting this offer.
A Question of Intent
The Congress leader's query in the Upper House carried a sharp political edge. He directly questioned whether the government's apparent inaction was a prelude to repurposing the sanctuary land. "He raised a question if it is the intention (of the government) to give land of the sanctuary to a businessman after the disappearance of the three female GIBs," the report noted.
Concluding his urgent appeal, Shaktisinh Gohil called upon the concerned Union Minister to provide a concrete assurance regarding the conservation of the Great Indian Bustard in Gujarat. The MP later shared a video of his parliamentary question on his social media handles, amplifying the call to save the national bird from vanishing from the state's landscape.
