MADURAI: After hearing that a proposal has been sent to the Tamil Nadu government to declare the Samanatham Tank in the Madurai district as a bird sanctuary, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed in the regard.
A division bench of Justices R Subramanian and L Victoria Gowri disposed of the petition following the government's response that the forest department has sent such a proposal to the state government and the same is pending for approval. If the proposal does not fructify, the petitioner can move the court again, the judges added and disposed of the PIL.
The litigant R Manibharathi stated in his petition that the 550-acre tank, which is located in Thiruparankundram block, has different types of vegetation including shrubs, trees and aquatic plants that support a variety of animals including reptiles like snakes and turtles, amphibians like frogs and toads, fishes like catfish, tilapia and carp. After seven years of 'Bird Monitoring' (2015-2022), a total of 150 species of birds belonging to 52 families were recorded from Samanatham Tank by Iragukal Amritha Nature Trust. Of the said 150 species, 84 species were common, 43 species were uncommon and 23 species were rare, the trust's data revealed.
The tank also plays a major role in water management and flood control for the surrounding areas, he added, and sought the declaration of the tank as a bird sanctuary.