Biodiversity camp for Kovai Corporation school students

COIMBATORE:  The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) in collaboration with Center for Urban Biodiversity Conservation and Education (CUBE) will conduct weekly camps for corporation school students to raise awareness of over 180 different types of species spotted at the Singanallur lake and about nature and biodiversity.

Corporation Commissioner M Prathap on Friday launched the programme. The training will be held for two days every week at natural locations. A group of 30 to 35 students and 2 teachers of a corporation school would walk for a distance of one kilometre where awareness about water, biodiversity, environment and nature will be created among them, said the sources.

Speaking to TNIE, Prathap said, “The nature awareness training camp will be conducted once every three months on a rotational basis. More than 180 different types of species call Singanallur lake their home. A wide variety of birds from various countries visit the lake regularly. There are also numerous kinds of butterflies living here.

Steps will be taken to improve the ecologically rich Singanallur pond.” When asked if the civic body will procure special machinery such as a robotic weed remover, Prathap said there was no plans. “In Kerala, a group of women have been turning the water hyacinth into value-added products like baskets and other items. Similar steps will be taken and implemented here in the CCMC.

With this, we will be able to remove the water hyacinth as well as help the people generate revenue,” he added. Further, Prathap said Rajavaickal canal which drains into Singanallur lake and other canals that drain into the lake through Ukkadam Periyakulam and Valankulam will be desilted soon.