PIL wants government to revive Chitrankudi sanctuary

MADURAI: The Madras high court Madurai bench has ordered notice to be issued to the officials of the environment and forest departments of the central and state governments on a public interest litigation (PIL) insisting improvement of the Chitrankudi Bird Sanctuary in Ramanathapurm district.
P Chellathai of Ramanathapuram's Mudhukulathur taluk has filed the PIL.
She said Chitrankudi water body, wherein an excess water of a channel from Gundar river was declared as bird sanctuary on September 20, 1989. The birds used to flock the sanctuary from October to February.
The state's forest department had claim that Chitrankudi kanmoi (water body), is a good habitat for winter migratory birds with considerable diversity in nesting and feeding behaviours and it is one of the preferred nesting sites for heronry species colonial birds migrating to south India, which wet land retains water for three to five months.
"But, the sanctuary is in very pathetic condition. No birds are found there and the area is very dry. It resulted in migratory birds and native birds moving to nearby villages," the petitioner said.
The state and central governments should take steps to improve the sanctuary and the ecology condition of the surrounding area, by sanctioning necessary funds. They should also take alternative a0rrangements for supply of water to the sanctuary. Narrating these, a representation was sent to the officials on October 13, the petitioner said. When the matter came up for admission before the division bench of justices V Dhanapalan and V M Velumani, the bench ordered notice.