HC initiates suo motu proceedings to preserve, declare Samanatham tank in Madurai as bird sanctuary

Madurai High Court initiates proceedings to declare Samanatham tank a bird sanctuary due to biodiversity and habitat protection concerns.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday initiated suo motu proceedings to preserve Samanatham tank in Madurai district and declare it as a bird sanctuary under Section 18 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. If declared as a bird sanctuary, the tank would be the first sanctuary to be declared so in Madurai district, the Registrar (Judicial) said.

A Division Bench of Justices G. Jayachandran and R. Poornima directed the State government to file a status report and adjourned the hearing by four weeks.

The Registrar (Judicial) said that Samanatham tank located in Tirupparankundram block was a habitat to more than 150 species of birds which included nearly eight threatened species such as Oriental Darter, Painted Stork, Black headed Ibis, Spot billed Pelican, Black tailed Godwit, Bar tailed Godwit, River Tern and Osprey.

These bird species have been declared as nearly threatened as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN-Red List). The tank was also a habitat to two vulnerable species of birds: Indian spotted Eagle and Greater spotted Eagle. The tank was presently under the control and maintenance of the Public Works Department.

Owing to the biodiversity and unique natural birds habitat, there has been an appeal to protect the waterbody by declaring it as a bird sanctuary under Section 18 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Registrar said.

The action was necessitated in light of the fact that the waterbody was vulnerable to poaching, loss of natural habitat and easily accessible to the public which gravely threatened the natural habitat of the birds. If the waterbody was declared as a sanctuary, it would be subjected to restriction as to entry in terms of Section 27 of the Act and various other protective measures as envisaged under Chapter IV of the Act, as a protected area.

Article 48 A of the Constitution ordains that the State should endeavour to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the forest and wildlife of the country. There was also a fundamental duty cast on every Citizen under Article 51 A (g) to protect and improve the natural environment and wildlife, the Registrar said.