Now Reading: Thoothukudi collector inspects Perungulam tank amid sanctuary calls
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Thoothukudi collector inspects Perungulam tank amid sanctuary calls
Thoothukudi district collector Vishu Mahajan on Tuesday inspected Perungulam tank, where thousands of migratory and native water birds have gathered, following renewed demands to declare the wetland a bird sanctuary or a…
Thoothukudi district collector Vishu Mahajan on Tuesday inspected Perungulam tank, where thousands of migratory and native water birds have gathered, following renewed demands to declare the wetland a bird sanctuary or a Ramsar site. The collector viewed birds through binoculars and asked district forest officer Ilayaraja for details on visiting species, their countries of origin, and conservation measures needed.
Perungulam is the last tank in the Marudur Keelakkal irrigation system fed by the Thamirabarani river, and attracts thousands of water birds each season. Ornithologists, environmentalists and residents argue that protected status would conserve the wetland and avian habitat while promoting eco-tourism. The collector also visited the nearby Sivakalai archaeological site, where 3,200-year-old paddy grains and burial urns have been unearthed.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Ramsar status is a global recognition of a wetland's ecological importance, granted by the international convention signed in 1971. India currently has 80 Ramsar sites, though Tamil Nadu has only four, all in the central or northern districts. The southern districts, including Thoothukudi, have none. Perungulam's case is distinct because it sits at the tail-end of the Thamirabarani irrigation system, meaning its water availability depends on upstream releases and monsoon flows upstream. The state government has the authority to declare it a bird sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act, but such decisions have been slow in Tamil Nadu, with only 17 wildlife sanctuaries in the state, none in Thoothukudi district. The district administration's next move, whether the collector will submit a formal recommendation to the forest department, will determine if the demand moves from the inspection stage to the bureaucratic process of a proposal.
Source: deccanchronicle.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
