Pallikaranai Marshlands to be opened to the public

The Pallikaranai wetland is one of the last few surviving wetlands of South India and the only marshland ecosystem in Tamil Nadu’s Cennai city. The state forest department has announced plans to open this up for the public. It is in line with the plans to revive and rejuvenate the wetland. It also includes the Perumbakkam Wetland region. The region is noted for its bird diversity. The year 2014-15 recorded the highest bird count in the region: 32,000 birds were counted. Flamingos are one of the most notable bird visitors of the region. The recent survey, conducted in October, revealed a drop of almost half the population (15,257 birds counted). The state had planted indigenous tree sapling as part of the rejuvenation efforts. About 6000 saplings of Aal, Magizham, Neermaruthu, etc. were planted by the forest department along the bunds. A 1km pathway has also been constructed.