PUDUCHERRY: In a devastating incident, a massive fire engulfed the Bahour tank area, a vital wetland situated in both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu around 12.30 am Thursday.
Distressed residents in the Bahour region witnessed the alarming sight of flames at multiple locations within the tank. The fire primarily affected the Vinayagapuram area of Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu, and a smaller portion in the Aranganoor area under Bahour Taluk, Puducherry, as reported by local inhabitants.
As the fire continued for nearly 12 hours till noon, fire service personnel from both regions rushed to the scene, struggling to douse the flames that relentlessly spread through the area. The shallow nature of the tank posed challenges for the fire tenders, hindering their efforts to reach the affected spots quickly. “The fire emanated from Tamilnadu area and was spreading to our area , when we controlled the fire in our area by spraying “ Divisional Fire officer Puducherry K Illango told TNIE.
The Bahour tank, historically dating back to the Chola period, holds immense ecological significance as the second largest freshwater lake in Puducherry, spreading across 1756 acres with the majority of its area in Puducherry and a smaller portion in Tamil Nadu. It serves as a vital habitat for numerous migratory and native bird species, making it a crucial resting point along the central Asian flyway
However, the Bahour tank has been facing severe degradation over the years due to rampant silting, unchecked encroachments, and illegal farming activities. The lack of proper maintenance and desilting since 1980(when Puducherry Minister M A Shanmugham got it desilted ) has led to its shallowness and partial drying in some areas, exacerbating its vulnerability to misuse.
Activists strongly suspect that the fire might have been deliberately set for illegal poaching and farming purposes.
V. Chandrasekhar, president of the Bangaru Vaickal Neeradhara Kootamaippu, a water users’ association, asserted that both Puducherry and Tamil Nadu authorities have failed to take effective action against illegal activities within the tank. The poachers' modus operandi involves setting fire to water hyacinths and bushes to create easy access to the animals, particularly peacocks, which are often targeted for poaching. Additionally, farmers are encroaching into more areas with the burning of the bushes and driving away the birds and animals.He alleged that the Revenue Departments of both Puducherry and Tamilnadu had issued pattas inside the lake to as many as 234 persons for farming, which is being disputed in High court.
T.P. Raghunath, director of Svarnim Puducherry, Sri Aurobindo Society, alleged a disturbing nexus between farmers and illegal poachers, suggesting that they could be behind the catastrophic fire. The responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the Bahour tank and its feeder channels, Bangaru Vaikal and Siteri Vaikal, falls under the PWD Puducherry in coordination with authorities from Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu. However, little progress has been made to conduct coordination meeting in preserving the tank's ecological balance, he said .
Given its significance as a biodiversity hotspot and a central Asian flyway, he said that both the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry governments need to take immediate action. A secretary-level meeting between the two states to address the urgent need for tank maintenance and enforce strict measures to halt all illegal activities threatening this precious wetland ecosystem is required , said Raghunath.