NGO appeals to drop Coimbatore Corporation's plan to commercialise tanks
City-based non-governmental organisation 'Osai' has appealed to Coimbatore District Collector, Coimbatore Corporation the and District Forest Officer (DFO) to drop the civic body's move to rent out spaces of tanks beautified under the Smart Cities Mission for commercial activities.
In a petition submitted to the Collector, Corporation Commissioner and DFO on Friday, the NGO stated that the civic body's invitation to event organisers to conduct recreational and commercial gatherings at these beautified spaces and to promote them as event venues raise significant environmental red flags.
Many of these tanks, including Valankulam, Ukkadam Big Tank, Kurichi tank and Selva Chinthamani have evolved over the years into crucial habitats for wetland-dependent birds, including migratory and resident such as Painted Stork, Asian Openbill, Spot-billed Pelican and numerous other shallow-water foragers and shorebirds.
'Hosting events involving amplified sound, crowds, lighting, and food stalls will not only disturb the habitat integrity, but also directly threaten the survival of these sensitive bird populations. Birds such as pelicans and storks are particularly sensitive to noise and human presence during feeding and breeding seasons. Littering and waste from such events pose a secondary but equally serious threat by degrading water quality and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks among bird populations,' stated the petition.
It said that wetlands constituted 6.92% of the geographical area of Tamil Nadu and 1.08% of Coimbatore. Due to urban expansion and land use changes, many of these tanks no longer served their original irrigation purpose and naturally transitioned into biodiversity refuges. These waterbodies were not merely habitats, but the only remaining options for survival for several species of wetland birds in the urbanised landscape. Over 200 species of birds, which constituted over 15% of the bird species found in India, visited these wetlands.
The NGO wanted the district administration to reconsider the current plan to use tank shores as event venues and declare them as Urban Biodiversity Conservation Zones and Ecological Learning and Conservation Education Centres.
Such a shift in approach would align with the ecological history of these water bodies and foster environmental responsibility among the city's youth and public, said the petition, which was attached with bird population reports of Valankulam, Ukkadam Big Tank, Kumaraswamy tank (Muthannankulam), Kurichi tank, Narasampathi tank, Selvampathy tank, Selva Chinthamani tank and Krishnampathy tank.
The NGO also appealed to the authorities to consult with ecologists, birdwatchers, wetland experts and local environmental organisations before proceeding with any further plans.
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