Chennai: Initiating suo motu proceedings as per the direction of Supreme Court, Madras high court on Thursday directed the Union and Tamil Nadu state governments to file a report on steps being taken for preservation of wetlands in the state.
Passing orders on a suo motu petition, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M. Sundar said, “Union and TN state governments shall file reports with regard to steps being taken in respect of Ramsar sites in the state of TN. Additional solicitor general Su.Srinivasan accepts notice on behalf of the Union government, government pleader M. Subramanian accepts notice on behalf of the state government and special government pleader M.Santhanaraman accepts notice on behalf of forest department”.
The bench posted to August 21, further hearing of the suo motu petition, which sought a direction to the Union and TN state governments to take specific steps to preserve wetlands in the state of TN covered by Ramsar Convention, 1971.
Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. It is also known as convention on wetlands. It is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the convention was signed in 1971.
According to petition, steps to preserve wetlands covers improving habitats for water bodies, to construct watch towers, creation of physical barrier to prevent cattle entry, boundary demarcation by non-corrosive pillars, engaging para-monitoring personnel, conducting field research of vegetation, water birds and wild life-eco development activities, any other activities likely to have an adverse impact on the eco-system of the wetland to be specified in writing by the authority constituted in accordance with these rules and to submit a report for the development periodically and to nominate an officer not below the rank of joint secretary to the Central Wetland Regulatory Authority in order to comprehensively carry on the work of identifying and preserving the wet land.
The Supreme Court in its order dated April 3, 2017, had said, “We have put it to the counsel for the petitioner that in so far as the Ramsar Convention sites are concerned, since they are matters of international heritage, it might be more appropriate if the concerned high courts monitor the management of these sites at least till there is some visible improvement.
List of existing and potential Ramser sites in TN
Point Calimere ( Already Ramser site)
Vedanthangal and Karikkili bird sanctuaries in Kancheepuram district
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park in Ramnad
Veeranam lake in Cuddalore
Chitrangudi and Kanjirankulam wildlife sanctuary
Yedayanthittu estuary and Kaliveli tank in Villupuram
Koonthankulam bird sanctuary in Tirunelveli
Suchindram Vembanoor Theroor sanctuary in Kanyakumari
Karaivetti wildlife sanctuary in Ariyalur
Watrap Periakulam and Virkasamuthrakuppam
Vettangudi bird sanctuary in Sivagangai.
Sakkarakottai and Periya Kanmai
K.V.R.K. Thirunaranan, member, Kancheepuram Wetland Authority
Its heartening to hear that the first bench of the Madras High court has asked the state and the Centre on steps being taken in respect of preservation of wetlands in TN. Apart from serving as habitat for migratory birds the wetlands also help as an ecological buffer zone for towns and cities, where there are no sanctuaries and forests. Kancheepuram district has formed a wetland management authority recently and Pallikaranai marsh is now covered under the state wetland progrrame, but still a lot has to be done as the wetlands face extensive biotic pressure. In case of Pulicat, the second largest lagoon in the country both Andhra and Tamil Nadu should join together and take steps to make Pulicat bird sanctuary a Ramser site
