Tamil Nadu: Foresters document heritage sites and flora
The forester said adding that the book is a brainchild of the DFO and the law college professor, who is a native to Tiruvannamalai district.
Chennai: Welcome to Kullargal Kugai (dwarf cave) reads a field guide prepared by the Tamil Nadu forest department on Tiruvannamalai. The first of its kind documentation by local foresters helps the public to understand the significance of Tiruvannamalai as a biodiversity hotspot.
The field guide authored by Dr S. Ezhumalai, assistant professor, Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University, takes you to dwarf caves (Kullargal kugai), 500-year-old tree, herbal sacred groves and the Parvathamalai, an hillock located 20 km from Polur which is also an abode to rare medicinal plants.
“Most of the forest areas in the district are believed to be a home for sidhhars dating back to several centuries and this book promotes both the heritage and biodiversity of the Eastern Ghats,” says Tiruvannamalai district forest officer Archana Kalyani.
The book has volumes focusing on the Indian laws protecting forests. Forest conservation act 1980, Forest Tribal Rights Act 2006, Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and the Biodiversity Act are discussed in the guide to help foresters and other stakeholders in protecting the ecological spots. The guide also recalls the history of popular hillock shrines in the district and notes the forest buildings dating back to colonial era, the DFO noted.
“It took several weeks for us to get the latest images and the scientific details related to the biodiversity spots”, recalled a forester in Tiruvannamalai district.
The guide talks about a 500-year-old Marutham tree (Arjuna Terminalia) which is known for its rich medicinal value and its girth of 1520 centimetres is also recorded, the forester said adding that the book is a brainchild of the DFO and the law college professor, who is a native to Tiruvannamalai district. The guide will be available for wildlife enthusiasts and to tourists.