Amravati talao on civic tourism menu

Concretisation of wetland bank may lead to biodiversity crisis

Chhatri talao, located in Pohara Malkhed reserve forest of Amravati, is under threat with the local civic body proposing to concretise the wetland under a beautification project. The authorities propose to develop the area as a tourist spot with attractions like a toy train.

The wetland is listed in the national wetland inventory of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change and the wetland atlas of Maharashtra. The talao is home to nearly 228 species of birds out of which about 40 are migratory. It is also the only source of water for leopards, tigers, wolves, jackals, spotted deer, nilgai, four horned antelope and other wild animals in the area.

The wetland came under threat recently after Amravati Municipal Corporation started building a wall surrounding it as part of a beautification project. “Such concretisation threatens the biodiversity of the wetland and will destroy the habitat for birds and animals dependent on it. The civic body has also planned a toy train and food courts in the area to boost tourism,” said Akshay Onkar, a postgraduate in the environment science.

The 24-year-old youngster from Pune is working with NGOs to protect a wetland from anthropological intervention. The wetland is also a source of groundwater table recharge, controlling the temperature of surroundings which also is a threat with the development, Onkar added.

Onkar said the move is clearly a violation of wetland rules 2017 and the Bombay High Court’s judgment, which instructs that wetlands bigger than 2.5 acres are to be protected. “These wetlands were identified by the government with Indian Space Research Organisation. The issue was raised with the forest department, civic body and the district collector a week ago and no response has been received yet,” he added.

Sagar Maidankar, a member of Jeevan Raksha, an organisation working towards nature conservation, said, “We are totally against such development. The work was stopped briefly after we resisted the project. However, it has started again.”

District forest officer, Gajendra Narawane, said, “The wetland does not fall under the jurisdiction of the forest department. However, necessary changes have been suggested to ensure that habitat for birds and movement of wildlife is not affected.”

Narawane added that it has been suggested the path for the visitors be created near the state highway where the animal movement is minimum.

Amravati municipal commissioner, Sanjay Nipane, said, “The objections of the NGOs were heard and concessions have been made. Some work that would harm the environment has already stopped and revisions on the implementation have already been made.”

Nipane added the issue has been taken up with the district collector. “Plans like having a biological wall to replace the concretisation have been proposed. A committee will be set up including the district collector, the MLA and a member of the standing committee from the municipal corporation,” he said.

The official said, however, the committee would be set up after the code of conduct, in place for the Lok Sabha elections, ends and government functions come back to normal.