Walk, watch Pallikaranai birds

Chennai: Chennaiities can soon enjoy watching birds of different species at close quarters at Pallikaranai marshland with eco-restoration activities going on at a fast pace there.  An entrance arch is also getting ready.

Conservation Authority of Pallikaranai Marshland, which is undertaking and monitoring the restoration work, has constructed a perimeter wall along the stretch of marshland abutting Velachery main road.  The authority was constituted to monitor all activities and 690 hectares are under the control of the forest department.

A forest official of Conservation Authority of Pallikaranai Marshland said work on bund formation, perimeter wall and a walkers’ path has been going on in full swing for the last few months. Construction debris and unsegregated waste were removed from various parts of the marshland and desilted material was used for formation of bunds along the wall. Nearly 6,000 saplings have been planted, the official said.   

The walkers’ path will have granite benches with lights, resting sheds and display (info) units about bird species. Small bridges will be also be built to link the 4-km walking path. With a few stormwater channels cutting across the marshland, the authority is planning bioremediation to treat sewage mixed water. The restoration work will also be taken up on the stretch along Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Road.  

More migratory birds flock to Pallikaranai now as the natural fresh water marshland is being cleared of its choking debris. Habitat improvement and its protection matters most for winged visitors, the forest official pointed out.