Even after a strongly-worded letter from the convenor of Committee to Monitor Welfare of Birds and Pets after 95 unfit kites were released in Sanjay Gandhi National Park (‘Shocked about dumping of kites, HC-appointed panel writes to SGNP’, mid-day, April 30), the Thane Forest Department (TFD) has brought only 22 birds back from the park.

According to K P Singh, Chief Conservator of Forest (Territorial) Thane, the remaining kites were fit and therefore released. However, when mid-day had spoken to the Range Forest Officer, Anil Todarmal, before the kites had been released in SGNP, he had stated that the birds were physically unfit.