The Hindu : Front Page : Proposal to turn lake into bird sanctuary

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Monday, Sep 08, 2008
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Proposal to turn lake into bird sanctuary

V.S. Palaniappan

PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN.

IDEAL SPOT: The Perur-Chettipalayam Tank where a bird sanctuary is being planned. —

Coimbatore: The District Administration, Forest Department and the Public Works Department have come forward to get the Perur Chettipalayam Lake declared as a conservation reserve under Section 36 A and B of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

The District Forest Officer, I. Anwardeen, said that the District Collector, V. Palanikumar, and the Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore circle, R. Kannan, evinced keen interest in developing the same into a conservation area for both domestic and migratory birds of foreign species. A proposal for putting in place the basic infrastructure to tap tourist potentials was prepared by a team led by the Coimbatore Range Officer, A. Soundarrajan. The Perur Chettipalayam Lake with 87.75 hectares i.e., 213 acres is a perennial water body with abundant acacia trees attracting as many as 77 species of birds. Of them three were globally important species such as darter, white ibis and black ibis. The department has proposed to construct roads along the embankment of the lake, besides revetment walls on either side of the bund, open shelters with benches, wooden benches, boat house, toilets, drawing room, parking area besides providing Korean grass surfing, meeting hall, tourist rest room, light along the embankments, bird awareness creation centres, children’s park, watch towers of 15 m to 20 m height for the visitors to watch the avian species.

Public Works Department, Forest Department, District Administration, Tourism Department, an NGO Siruthuli and Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry took part in a recent meeting to put forth their suggestions and to get a proposal shaped up. The proposal has now been forwarded to the Government. Work will be executed by the PWD and the revenue generated therein would be for the local body.

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