A piece of pristine wetland in Manjoor town is facing an existential threat as the TANGEDCO plans to dump sand collected from desilting the Kundah Dam at the spot.
The wetland, located along the Manjoor to Coimbatore Road, is rife with native species of trees as well as grasslands.
An access road to the swamp has already been dug with the use of an earthmover. Some of the varieties of grass found only in wetland swamps have already been removed.
Desilting works on the Kundah Dam is about to begin shortly, and it has been said that the TANGEDCO plans to dump the soil from the desilting operations on the swamp, irreparably destroying it in the process.
Sources in the Revenue Department said that the TANGEDCO had sought and received permission to use an earthmover to cut an access road into the swamp.
“They will have to get clearance to use tipper lorries and dump the soil at the location,” an official told The Hindu . In response, TANGEDCO officials remained tight-lipped on their plans, only confirming that the dam will be desilted in the coming weeks and months.
Environmentalists have already spoken out on the need to conserve wetlands in the Nilgiris, with the vast majority having already been destroyed due to agricultural activities, with a prime example being the Nanjanad area.
S Jayachandran, joint secretary of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement (TNGM), said that the Supreme Court had already passed orders calling for the protection of wetlands across the country.
“Wetlands are the origin for water and they should be preserved. If the TANGEDCO does indeed have plans to dump silt in wetlands, they should reconsider and find an alternative location after consulting with environmentalists and local NGOs,” he said.
