Northeast birders laud MP Indra Hang Subba for raising bird-watching support in Parliament

GANGTOK, : The birding community of the Northeast has expressed appreciation to Indra Hang Subba, Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim, for raising in Parliament the need to include bird watching initiatives in the North East Region under Union government support.

In her Union Budget 2026-27 speech delivered in the Lok Sabha on February 1, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a specific mention of bird watching. In her address, she announced plans of the Union Government to promote eco-tourism and nature-based activities across India.

As part of this initiative, the government will develop ecologically sustainable bird-watching trails along Pulicat Lake, a major wetland and bird sanctuary shared by Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, to boost nature tourism and support local livelihoods, a press release informs.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on February 10, MP Indra Hang Subba urged the Union Finance Minister to extend similar support to the northeastern States, including Sikkim, alongside Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. He highlighted that Sikkim alone is home to over 600 bird species, while more than 800 species are found across the Northeast. He stated that it would be appropriate for such support from the Union Government to be extended to the region as well.

Members of the bird watching community including bird tour operators, enthusiasts, photographers, and ornithologists from the Northeast expressed deep appreciation and gratitude to the Sikkim Lok Sabha MP for recording the importance of bird watching in the region. They noted that this may be the first time the subject of bird watching has been raised in Parliament by an MP from the Northeast, the release informs.