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OSAI seeks CM's intervention to save eco-system near Vellakoil
OSAI, an NGO involved in conservation of ecology, has appealed to the Chief Minister to take expeditious measures to preserve the ecology of Vattamalai Odaikkarai about 7 km from Vellakoil in Tirupur district.
Memorandum
In a memorandum to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, president of OSAI K. Kalidasan said that the checkdam at Vattamalai Odaikkarai constructed in 1974-78 serves as an ideal habitat for many birds and mammals.
The dam had reached its full capacity only once in 1980 and for the last 30 years it had vey little water. The dam and its surrounding areas have lot of trees and it resembles a forest. Recently the Public Works Department floated a tender to remove seemai karuvelam (Prosopis Juliflora) in about 206 hectares area, which was opposed by farmers and environmentalists, who staged a one-day fast at Vellakoil on January 25.
OSAI team visited the dam and the surrounding thorny bush eco-system recently and conducted an environmental impact study. The dam had no water flow because the small streams had completely dried up over the last 25 to 30 years and at present it was purely dependent on rain water.
Flora
In a two-hour flora identification programme, the team noticed substantial presence of seemai karuvelam and trees such as neem, tamarind, teak, palm, jujube or Indian date, Indian gooseberry, white barked acacia .
Forty-one species of birds such as Peacock, Asian paradise fly catcher, Rose-ringed parakeet, Common hoopoe, Greater coucal, Rufous treepie, Eurasian-collared dove, Spotted dove, Spot billed duck, Little grebe, Cattle egret, Intermediate egret, Little cormorant were recorded.
Peacocks
Large numbers of peacocks were spotted suggesting habitats like these are crucial to prevent peacocks from entering agricultural lands. The dry thorny bush ecosystem also supports mammals like spotted deer, porcupine, black naped hare, mongoose and Indian fox.
Wetland birds
At dusk more than 10,000 wetland birds such as Little egrets, Intermediate egrets, Cattle egrets, Spot billed ducks and Little cormorants are found here. The water body serves as the most important site for these wetland birds and for a huge number of other birds in the surrounding 50 km radius.
Mr. Kalidasan said that there was no second thought that seemai karuvelam should be removed. But it should be removed in a phased manner and native species should replace them. But cutting down of these trees at a stretch in the 206 hectare will have a devastating effect on these birds and animals, as they had adapted to this eco system in the last 20-30 years. There is no proper plan and steps for bringing water to this wetland from Amaravathy and other water resource. The tree cutting tender will not be of any help for improving the area and on the contrary will severely affect the eco-system. He urged the Chief Minister also should order cancellation of the tree cutting tender as in its present form would have a great negative impact on the eco-system if implemented.
Bird sanctuary
Vattamalai Odaikkarai water body should be identified and declared as a community reserve/conservation reserve wetland and should be upgraded into a bird sanctuary. Intervention of the Chief Minister alone will help in saving 10,000 wetland birds.
OSAI seeks CM's intervention to save eco-system near Vellakoil
OSAI, an NGO involved in conservation of ecology, has appealed to the Chief Minister to take expeditious measures to preserve the ecology of Vattamalai Odaikkarai about 7 km from Vellakoil in Tirupur district.
Memorandum
In a memorandum to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, president of OSAI K. Kalidasan said that the checkdam at Vattamalai Odaikkarai constructed in 1974-78 serves as an ideal habitat for many birds and mammals.
The dam had reached its full capacity only once in 1980 and for the last 30 years it had vey little water. The dam and its surrounding areas have lot of trees and it resembles a forest. Recently the Public Works Department floated a tender to remove seemai karuvelam (Prosopis Juliflora) in about 206 hectares area, which was opposed by farmers and environmentalists, who staged a one-day fast at Vellakoil on January 25.
OSAI team visited the dam and the surrounding thorny bush eco-system recently and conducted an environmental impact study. The dam had no water flow because the small streams had completely dried up over the last 25 to 30 years and at present it was purely dependent on rain water.
Flora
In a two-hour flora identification programme, the team noticed substantial presence of seemai karuvelam and trees such as neem, tamarind, teak, palm, jujube or Indian date, Indian gooseberry, white barked acacia .
Forty-one species of birds such as Peacock, Asian paradise fly catcher, Rose-ringed parakeet, Common hoopoe, Greater coucal, Rufous treepie, Eurasian-collared dove, Spotted dove, Spot billed duck, Little grebe, Cattle egret, Intermediate egret, Little cormorant were recorded.
Peacocks
Large numbers of peacocks were spotted suggesting habitats like these are crucial to prevent peacocks from entering agricultural lands. The dry thorny bush ecosystem also supports mammals like spotted deer, porcupine, black naped hare, mongoose and Indian fox.
Wetland birds
At dusk more than 10,000 wetland birds such as Little egrets, Intermediate egrets, Cattle egrets, Spot billed ducks and Little cormorants are found here. The water body serves as the most important site for these wetland birds and for a huge number of other birds in the surrounding 50 km radius.
Mr. Kalidasan said that there was no second thought that seemai karuvelam should be removed. But it should be removed in a phased manner and native species should replace them. But cutting down of these trees at a stretch in the 206 hectare will have a devastating effect on these birds and animals, as they had adapted to this eco system in the last 20-30 years. There is no proper plan and steps for bringing water to this wetland from Amaravathy and other water resource. The tree cutting tender will not be of any help for improving the area and on the contrary will severely affect the eco-system. He urged the Chief Minister also should order cancellation of the tree cutting tender as in its present form would have a great negative impact on the eco-system if implemented.
Bird sanctuary
Vattamalai Odaikkarai water body should be identified and declared as a community reserve/conservation reserve wetland and should be upgraded into a bird sanctuary. Intervention of the Chief Minister alone will help in saving 10,000 wetland birds.
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