PMK youthwing leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Anbumani Ramadoss, on Wednesday said that the State should ensure that the 5 square kilometre area of Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary remains intact and that the State Government should give up all plans that would affect the area.
In a statement, Mr. Anbumani strongly disagreed with the Forest Department’s clarification and urged the State government to not allow any industries to set up shop in bird sanctuary.
“Tamil Nadu’s forest department has said that the Government has no intention to reduce the area of Vedanthal Bird Sanctuary. This explanation comes as supportive of a private pharmaceutical company and an attempt to obfuscate the facts,” he said.
Adding that the PMK would launch legal and political protests against such attempts, Mr. Anbumani said that Central Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recommended creating an ‘Eco-sensitive Area’ around the bird sanctuaries for the last 10 years.
“If you have to create an eco-sensitive area around Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, it should be done outside the 5 square kilometre area. But, the forest department is trying to do it within the 5 square kilometres area. As per this logic, the sanctuary will be reduced to 1 square kilometre area,” said Mr. Anbumani.
He added that forest department’s response is a ploy to fool the people.
“As per the Wildlife Protection Act and Environment Protection Act, no industries deemed harmful for the bird sanctuary can be set up within the five kilometre radius. But, as per the current reclassification, the core area has been reduced to 1 square kilometre. Outside this 1 square kilometre, the industries can be set up. This is why they have reclassified the bird sanctuary,” said Mr. Anbumani.
He added that Amco Batteries and Ordine Healthcare factories were permitted to set up shop in 2010. “How were these clearances given? Who were behind these decisions? There needs to be widespread investigation,” he said.
