Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday, 14 September 2026, reviewed ongoing conservation and habitat-management efforts for the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB) at the Naliya habitat in Kachchh district, Gujarat. The visit, which included an on-ground briefing by the Gujarat Forest Department and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), marked one of the most senior ministerial reviews of GIB recovery work in recent years.

Community Outreach at the Heart of Conservation

Yadav held a 'Khatala Sabha' — a traditional community gathering — with representatives of the Jat Sumra and Darbar communities, local pastoralist and agricultural groups whose cooperation is considered essential to the GIB's survival in the landscape. 'The local pastoralist and agricultural groups in Kutch are key to ensuring the success of GIB conservation,' he said, underscoring the government's push for community-led environmental stewardship.

Key On-Ground Progress in GIB Habitat

Officials briefed the minister on significant milestones achieved in the GIB landscape. These include the restoration of approximately 11 sq. km of grassland previously overrun by the invasive shrub Prosopis juliflora, and the erection of 30 km of predator-proof fencing covering 15 sq. km of habitat. A pioneering 'jump-start' intervention — in which infertile eggs laid by wild GIB females are replaced with viable eggs from the conservation breeding programme — has produced a landmark outcome: a chick from the second such attempt has survived beyond the critical first three months in the wild, a milestone described as historically significant for the species' recovery in Gujarat.

Soft Release Centre Inaugurated

Yadav inaugurated the Soft Release Centre for the Great Indian Bustard at the Naliya facility, a key infrastructure addition designed to ease captive-bred birds back into wild conditions. The centre is expected to play a pivotal role in future reintroduction efforts as the breeding programme matures.

33 Patrolling Vehicles Flagged Off

The minister also flagged off 33 new patrolling and rescue vehicles for deployment across various divisions under the Kachchh Forest Circle. These vehicles are intended for forest protection, wildlife monitoring, field patrolling, and quick-response activities — addressing a long-standing operational gap in one of India's most ecologically sensitive zones.

Sayara Van Kavach and MoU with Deendayal Port Authority

Later in the day, Yadav visited the Hariyalu Gram plantation in Sayara, where he inaugurated the Sayara Van Kavach initiative and was briefed on an associated bee-keeping unit. He planted a sapling at the site and witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the state and the Deendayal Port Authority for plantation activities along the coastline, adding a Blue Economy-linked dimension to the day's conservation agenda. With the GIB's wild population estimated to be critically low, the cumulative outcomes from Naliya will be closely watched by wildlife researchers and conservationists across the country.