4 February 2021.
Introduction:
Villupuram district administration in Tamil Nadu has issued the first declaration under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The declaration was issued in a bid to declare Kaliveli wetlands as a bird sanctuary.
Highlights:
- This decision is highly appreciated by the Forest Department officials and conservationists since it will boost their efforts to protect the wetland which is home for diverse flora and fauna.
- The first declaration was issued under the Section 18 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
About the Kaliveli wetlands
- The Kaliveli Wetlands is the second-largest brackish water lake in South India. The first largest is the Pulicat lake.
- The wetland is ecologically important.
- It is located near to the Marakkanam on the East Coast Road of the Kaliveli Lake.
- The wetland is spread over an area of 670 sq.km.
- The Kaliveli lake is connected to the Bay of Bengal through the Uppukalli Creek and the Edayanthittu sanctuary.
- Southern part of the wetland was declared a reserved land in the year 2001.
Reasons for converting into a bird sanctuary
- According to the 2004 report by the Indian Bird Conservation Network and Bird Life International, the Kaliveli wetlands supports around 20,000 birds every year.
- The lake also works as a feeding ground for long-distance migrants coming from the cold subarctic Central Asia and Siberia.
- Some of the migratory birds include Black-tailed Godwits, White Stork, Eurasian Curlew, Ruff and Dublin.
- Hence the demand to covert the wetlands into a bird sanctuary.
Significance
- The declaration will ensure that no construction take place in the surroundings.
- The declaration will help in maintaining the natural biosphere and biodiversity of the area.
- It will also create jobs for the local residents through eco-tourism.
- Further, the wetlands have large area that will help in recharging the ground water table.
What are the Challenges?
- Creation of check-dam downstream could impact the water levels and salinity in the wetlands.
- Further, the Creation of the check-dam will have negative impact on the plan of creating a fishing harbour in the estuary of the lagoon system.