Making agri tanks as sanctuaries will hit farmers, NGT told

CHENNAI: Responding to a query raised by the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the State Water Resources Department has ruled out the possibility of converting Nathapettai and Vaiyavur tanks in Kancheepuram district as bird sanctuaries.

Pointing out that the tanks were being mainly used for irrigation purposes, the department said if these waterbodies were converted into bird sanctuaries, the livelihood of the farmers in the region would be affected. In its report that was submitted to the green panel, the department said the tanks were man-made waterbodies for irrigation purposes, with Nathapettai tank having 243 hectares of water spread area with a capacity of 195 million cubic feet (mcft) while Vaiyavur tank has a water spread area of 79 hectares and a capacity of 175 mcft. "To improve the standard of the tank, prevent dumping of garbage and other solid waste into the tank, create facilities for migrants and remove encroachments, an estimate is being prepared under EMAT scheme and will be submitted to the government," the department said.

The report further explained that the tanks were renovated with World Bank assistance in 2017-2018. The tanks are rainfed, non-system tanks, where water would be stored only for three months. Nathapettai and Vaiyavur tanks are part of a chain of tanks, which feed water to Kaliyanur tank, Poosivakkam big tank, and Poosivakkam Chitheri, Uthukadu Tank, and Palayaseevaram Arukondan Tank that were renovated. While accepting the report, the tribunal directed the Water Resources Department to expedite the EMAT scheme.