Disregarding district administration; Naturalists are worried about the decrease in the number of foreign birds in Koondankulam

Due to lack of water in the Koondankulam Bird Sanctuary, the arrival of birds from abroad has decreased. This leaves the sanctuary deserted without any visitors.Koontangulam bird sanctuary in Nanguneri taluk of tirunelveli district has a habit of visiting many foreign birds every year, nesting in the trees there, and migrating again. Due to climate change this year, the arrival of birds was delayed due to heavy rains in December. Foreign birds that start coming to Koonthan pond in october and november stay there till june and July.

In this situation, the number of birds has also decreased significantly due to the delay in the breeding season of the birds this year. During the heavy rains in December, Kundankulam broke and all the water came out. Due to the lack of proper maintenance, the farmers of the area were unable to maintain adequate water reserves. In January, water was released from the Manimuthar Dam in the main canal and released into the ponds.

However, the Koondankulam Bird Sanctuary was not given the usual priority for Manimutthar irrigation water this year. As a result, the residents of the area have approached the district administration several times to request additional water, but the district administration has not taken notice. In this situation, water is needed for another three months, and now there is only a few days of water available there. Due to this, the number of birds in the pond has decreased drastically as the birds are leaving there.

The few birds that are there are nominally resident without nesting. As a result, Koondankulam Bird Sanctuary is deserted with no visitors as no tourists come to see the birds flocking to the Koondan Pond. At present, the farmers who have cultivated paddy in the second phase are forced to data-face losses due to a lack of water in the pond.

The farmers had been leading protests alleging that there was a lot of confusion and irregularities in supplying water to the ponds in Manimuthar main canal irrigation. In this situation, the local people are heartbroken because of the damage to the life of the birds loved by the local people in the Koontan pond. According to social activists, the birds in the Koonthan Kulam Bird Sanctuary have been affected because the district administration did not take notice.

As there is still 10 feet of water in the main canal irrigation in Manimuthar Dam, the local residents have demanded that special permission be given to the Koondankulam Bird Sanctuary and immediate supply of water, which is the source of life for the birds.