Residents of Korattur turn a hobby into a new Pongal tradition.
What’s it about? On Tuesday morning, when S Ravishankar and his students went birdwatching at Korattur lake, they were left worried at the diminished count of birds. One of the students recounted how they used to find pelicans by the hundreds in the past but could only spot two during a recent trip.
- The birdwatchers note counts and species in a census-like manner and jot down their location in the e-Bird application. Since January is ideal for this activity, they hope to make it a Pongal tradition.
- Ravishankar makes annual trips to the lake. He believes that the birds’ reduced numbers can be attributed to the lake’s increased contamination.
- According to S Sekaran of the Korattur Aeri Padukappu Makkal Iyakkam (KAPMI), rallying the community behind birdwatching will promote lake conservation in the city.
The Lake Problem: The Korattur lake used to span 900 acres, residents claim. It has now been reduced to half its size. Industrial effluents from the nearby area have polluted the lake. The National Green Tribunal is hearing a petition to restore the lake later in January.