Home / Environment / Wildlife Panel Orders Pulicat Sanctuary Boundary Fix
Wildlife Panel Orders Pulicat Sanctuary Boundary Fix
27 May
Summary
- Tamil Nadu must finalize Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary boundaries within a year.
- Two industrial projects near the sanctuary received clearance.
- The boundary rationalization aims to focus on key flamingo habitats.
The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has mandated that the Tamil Nadu government complete the rationalization of the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary's boundaries within one year, by April 2027. This decision was made during the committee's 87th meeting.
Simultaneously, the SC-NBWL approved two industrial expansion projects by Danblock Private Limited and Anjan Drug Private Limited. These projects are situated within the default Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the sanctuary, approximately 8.5 km and 7.87 km away, respectively.
An ecologist noted the current boundary might be "incorrectly delineated," suggesting it should largely encompass the lagoon area crucial for flamingos. The committee requires Tamil Nadu to resubmit the draft ESZ notification within two months following the boundary finalization.
Previous deferrals for these industrial projects were based on a National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management study. This assessment indicated the "zone of influence" extended only about 5.1 km, deeming the projects unlikely to impact wildlife significantly.
