Sanctuary turned into a death trap: Turtles flee the poisoned waters of Kajalheri

For years, a pond in Kajalheri village in Haryana’s Fatehabad has been a safe haven for hundreds of rare turtles. Today, those same waters are forcing them to flee for their lives.

Notified by the Haryana government in 2019, the Shri Guru Gorakhnath Community Sanctuary is home to an estimated 150–200 Indian softshell, red-roofed and Indian peacock turtles. But the sanctuary, where the reptiles once came to breed and lay their eggs, has reportedly turned into a toxic environment due to untreated sewage and neglect by the authorities.

The species found here enjoy the highest levels of statutory protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife Act, as do the tiger and rhinoceros. They are also listed as an endangered species in the IUCN Red List.

Environmentalists say the contaminated water is causing skin lesions, fungal infections and blindness in softshell turtles. As the pond becomes increasingly polluted and polluted, the turtles have begun to leave the reserve and cross agricultural fields and roads in search of cleaner water. Many of them were reportedly crushed by vehicles while trying to reach the nearby Kishangarh canal.

Conservationist Vaishali Rana has sought registration of a criminal case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act against wildlife officials, Panchayat functionaries and reserve management committee members. She accused them of allowing the deliberate discharge of sewage into the turtle’s habitat and not following the directions issued by the Principal Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Gurugram, after an inspection in January.

The problem does not end with polluted water. In the absence of proper fencing, stray dogs reportedly enter the reserve and dig up turtle nests to eat the eggs, while cattle brought into the pond trample the nesting banks and destroy the eggs. The turtles themselves are also at risk of being crushed.

A senior representative of nature conservation acknowledged the problems, but attributed the delay in remedial measures to a lack of funds. The department’s action plan includes diverting wastewater from the pond, building fencing and creating raised embankments where the turtles can safely lay their eggs. Officials said the work would begin after the monsoon once funds are released.

But locals say the crisis is more a result of official apathy than a lack of resources.

Resident Satpal Kajal alleged that earlier allocated funds were being diverted to other projects due to a mismatch between the Panchayat and wildlife officials. He said chemical waste from the village had polluted the pond and forced the turtles into the canal.

“There is enough land to create a separate pond to divert toxic waste,” he said, adding that complaints were also made to the then wildlife minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar during the previous government, but no action followed.

Published – 05 Sep 2026 09:34 IST