The Keoladeo Ghana National Park

• The Keoladeo Ghana National Park, or the Bharatpur bird sanctuary, was artificially created in the 19th century by erecting small dykes and dams and diverting water from an irrigation canal into this low-lying area to serve as a game reserve for the Maharaja of Bharatpur who would hunt wild fowl here.
• The bird sanctuary, once home to over 300 species of birds including openbills, spoonbills, egrets, cormorants, white ibis, harriers, fishing eagles, kingfishers and local and Siberian cranes is now attracting only around 50-80 species.
• One of the world's 19 wetlands sites which is a sanctuary for migratory birds is facing destruction. The reason: it is not getting water to keep its flora and fauna alive.
• In the wake of water shortage caused by scant rainfall in the area, the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, as it is officially known, has lost much of its charm. But the state government now hopes to revive it through an Rs 6 billion project.

• Surplus water from the Yamuna River that flows into the Goverdhan drain will be brought to the sanctuary through a 19-km-long pipeline. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) is expected to finance the project. It is expected to supply 350 million cubic feet {MCFT} of water to this sanctuary.