Chennai: The historic Anaikondan lake, built during the regime of the Pandiya empire in the 16th century, and 193.215 hectares land around it in Arittapatti and Meenakshipuram villages of Madurai district were notified as a biodiversity heritage site under the Biological Diversity Act of 2002.
The ‘Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site’ is the first of its kind in the State and it includes a chain of seven barren granite hillocks in Arittapatti village. ‘The distinctive landscape of rocky hills acts as a watershed and supports 72 lakes, 200 natural spring pools and 3 check dams, an official press release said.
The Anaikondan lake is just one of the water bodies. Hillocks in Arittapatti village have rich biological and historical significance with the presence of around 250 bird species, including 3 flagship Raptor species – Laggar Falcon (Falco jugger), Shaheen Falcon (Falco peregrines), and Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata) and wildlife such as Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), Python (Python molurus), and Slender Loris (Loris
spp).
While Arittapatti is also home to several other bird and animal species, the site features various megalithic structures, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, Jain Beds, and 2200-year-old rock cut temples, lending it historical value.
The decision to declare Arittapatti as a Biodiversity Heritage Site was made after consulting local communities, the Department of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu Minerals Ltd, (TAMIN) and other stakeholders.
The notification will strengthen the biodiversity conservation efforts with the participation of local communities and help to preserve the rich biological and historical repository of the area.
