In a major disappointment for the green lobby, Environment and Forest Minister M Veerappa Moily has reduced the Eco Sensitive Zone of Pulicat bird sanctuary from 10 km to 2 km to allow construction of world class Durgarajapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh. Pulicat Bird Sanctuary spread across 720 sq km is the second largest brackish water lake in the country.
Moily’s move comes despite recommendations of Andhra Pradesh Government that ESZ around Pulicat Bird Sanctuary should not be reduced to not less than five kilometres, so that it would continue to attract the birds and foster marine life in the wetland area.
Asad Rahmani, noted ornithologist, expressed concern saying, “The proposed port is at the mouth of the lagoon, and if the port is allowed , it will impede the flow of water into it. The suggestion of Andhra forest department must be followed to prevent further damage to this important site that gets lakhs of migratory birds each season. It needs to be conserved as cultural and natural heritage.”
K Mrutyumjaya Rao, from the Indian Bird Conservation Network, who had been opposing against the move said the proposed restriction of Eco-sensitive zone will cause serious and irreversible ecological damage to this unique wetland and pose imminent damage to the sanctuary’s ecosystem.
He explained that conservation of wetlands is more complex than any other habitat. They are fragile and easily polluted due the characteristic of water to spread the pollutants to nook and corner of the water body. Further, the pollutants spread on the surface of the water body, even by the wind.
The suspended particles from chimneys, transportation and handling of the coal, and other minerals will travel several kilometers and settle on the surface of water bodies. They will gradually sink to the bottom thus severely affecting the aquatic life on surface and bottom of the lake.
The Government had notified, for the creation of a major shipping port covering an area of 5028 acre at Dugarajupatnam of Pulicat Bird Sanctuary besides earmarking another 9700 acres for future requirements in September last year.
Also, the same Ministry, had issued guidelines after a Supreme Court order, on declaration of Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) around all Wildlife Sanctuaries to act as “shock absorbers” by regulating and managing activities around them. All activities in the ESZ shall henceforth be governed by the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and carefully regulated.