‘Declare Meenakshipuram tank a bird sanctuary or community reserve’
An ecological research group has urged the government to designate the Meenakshipuram tank as a bird sanctuary or community reserve to protect its biodiversity. The site hosts numerous bird species, but faces degradation due to pollution from nearby human settlements.
Why it matters
Protecting local wetlands is essential for biodiversity conservation and maintaining the ecological health of regions facing rapid urbanization.
The Centre for Heritage and Ecological Research through Arts and Literature (Cheral), Madurai, has urged the State government to declare Meenakshipuram tank at Ammapatti panchayat in Bodinayakanur taluk in Theni district either a bird sanctuary or a community reserve.
Cheral, in a press release, said Meenakshipuram tank served as an important habitat and roosting site for resident and migratory birds, and urged the Forest Department to notify the tank as a community reserve under Section 36C of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
Such protection would not only conserve the wetland’s rich biodiversity but also promote eco-tourism. It would attract researchers, birdwatchers, nature enthusiasts, tourists and travellers, and strengthen the local economy.
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