Chennai, Feb 13 (IANS) With a large number of migratory birds reaching the Vaigai river in Madurai, environmentalists and bird watchers have urged the district administration and Tamil Nadu government to prevent people from polluting it by dumping sewage waste and plastic waste.
Sankaran Suryanarayanan, an avid bird watcher and naturalist based out of Madurai while speaking to IANS said,”There was a heavy flow of migratory birds into the Vaigai river and surrounding areas. A large number of visitors are arriving here to watch them. While the current season is about to end, the state government and the Madurai district administration must take action to prevent the river Vaigai from being polluted by unscrupulous elements.”
It is to be noted that the Vaigai river flows 12 km within the Madurai city limits from Vilangudi till Viraganur dam and branches out at 36 places. Some people who live on its banks illegally release sewage into it and pollute the river thus affecting the water species.”
The migratory birds have arrived in large numbers in the Vaigai river and its surroundings and the birds that reached the river include, Black wing stilts, egrets, and Asian Openbill.
Mukundarajan, an environmentalist and research scholar while speaking to IANS said, “A large number of migratory birds have nested in the water bodies through the Madurai district and will be in search of food for themselves and their hatchlings. Since Vaigai is the main source of water in the district, the government and district administration must take stringent action against the pollution menace.”
The environmentalist also said that the state government and Tamil Nadu forest department must take initiative to preserve irrigation tanks in Avaniyapuram, Karisalkulam, and a few other tanks where the migratory birds arrive for nesting.
–IANS
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