For years, the pond at Kajalheri village in Haryana’s Fatehabad was a serene refuge for hundreds of rare turtles. Today, those same waters have turned lethal, driving the protected reptiles to desperate escapes across dangerous terrain.

  • The Shri Guru Gorakhnath Community Reserve was notified by the Haryana Government in 2019.
  • It is home to an estimated 150–200 Indian Softshell, Red-roofed, and Indian Peacock turtles.
  • These species enjoy the highest protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, at par with tigers and rhinoceroses, and are listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List.

A Sanctuary in Crisis

Environmentalists report that contaminated water from untreated sewage is causing skin lesions, fungal infections, and blindness among the softshell turtles. As the pond grows fouler, the turtles are abandoning the reserve, crossing agricultural fields and roads in a risky search for cleaner water. Many have allegedly been crushed by vehicles while trying to reach the nearby Kishangarh canal.

Official Neglect and Allegations

Wildlife conservationist Vaishali Rana has called for criminal charges against wildlife officials, Panchayat functionaries, and reserve management committee members. She accuses them of allowing deliberate sewage discharge and ignoring directives from the Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) in Gurugram after a January inspection.

“There is enough land to create a separate pond to divert the toxic waste,” said Satpal Kajal, a local resident, who alleged earlier funds were diverted due to official collusion.

Additional Threats and Delayed Response

Without proper fencing, stray dogs dig up turtle nests to eat eggs, and cattle trample nesting banks, destroying future generations. A senior wildlife official acknowledged the issues but cited funding shortages, with plans to divert sewage, erect fencing, and create raised nesting mounds—all delayed until after the monsoon.

Locals, however, insist the crisis stems from apathy, not a lack of resources, with complaints to previous government officials going unanswered.