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Tamil Nadu's Hidden Gems: Biodiversity Sites Threatened
16 Aug
Summary
- Activists urge declaring 11 sites in Madurai and Theni as biodiversity heritage.
- Past declarations include Arittapatti and Kasampatty sites in Tamil Nadu.
- Jakkammal Karadu yielded Neolithic tools and ancient cave paintings.
Environmental activists are urging the Tamil Nadu government to recognize and protect significant archaeological and biodiversity sites in the Madurai and Theni districts. They propose designating these areas as biodiversity heritage sites, similar to the established Arittapatti and Kasampatty locations.
These calls come amidst observations of numerous sites of ecological and historical importance. Jakkammal Karadu in Theni district, for example, has yielded Neolithic stone tools, Megalithic pottery shards, ancient cave paintings, and a 9th-century sculpture. Similarly, Kallangadu in Madurai boasts ancient temples and a rich variety of flora and fauna.
Demands also include establishing new sanctuaries. Activists suggest creating a Slender Loris sanctuary in the Melur-Singampuneri region, spanning Madurai and Sivaganga districts. Additionally, there are appeals to declare Samanatham tank in Madurai as a bird sanctuary, home to over 150 bird species, and Meenakshipuram tank in Theni as a bird sanctuary or community reserve.
