Bijnor: After successfully releasing turtle hatchlings into river Ganga at Makhdoompur in Meerut and Ahar in Bulandshahr, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and UP forest division have set up another hatchery at Daranagar Ganj in Bijnor district. It is the third hatchery in Hastinapur sanctuary.Over the past seven years, more than a 3,000 turtles eggs have been rescued, hatched and released into the Ganga at Makdoompur and Ahar. Local farmers have played a major role in rescuing eggs and protecting the hatchlings and nests.Now, 54 turtle eggs were rescued and hatched in incubators at Daranagar Ganj hatchery with the help of riverbed farmers.According to senior coordinator with WWF in Hastinapur sanctuary Sanjeev Yadav said, “There are 300 species of turtles in the world. Out of these, 15 are found in India and 12 are found here.”The WWF authorities have been campaigning to conserve the endangered species of turtles along the banks of the Ganga since 2013. The aim was to prevent farmers from destroying turtle nests and eggs along river banks. Initially, a hatchery was set up at Makdoompur and then at Ahar. A nursery to rear the hatchlings was also established in Hastinapur.Till a few years ago, turtle nests and eggs were destroyed by farmers while ploughing the land along Ganga banks for sowing crops and vegetables. The time when turtles start laying eggs and cultivation coincide. Female turtles start laying eggs from November to April and eggs are hatched by the end of June, during the monsoon season. The female turtle lays around 30 to 40 eggs in one season as per the species.Due to relentless campaigning by WWF, farmers have become aware about the importance of these aquatic scavengers in cleaning up the polluted river. Over the years, they have pitched in by lending a hand in collecting and making efforts in preserving turtle eggs and protecting nests.These efforts have started to bear fruits. WWF has rescued around 3,000 eggs and hatched them before releasing them into the Ganga over the past seven years. A large number of eggs have also been hatched naturally.Giving details, Bijnor divisional forest officer M Semmaran said, “We have set up a hatchery on the banks the Ganga at Daranagar Ganj with the help of WWF. Eggs are being collected from the different places. Farmers also keep forest and WWF authorities informed about the eggs. The hatchery is being maintained properly. Two keepers have been deployed there to look after the eggs.”

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