The Madras High Court has directed the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation to halt all ongoing and proposed Smart City lakefront development activities at Ukkadam Periyakulam and Valankulam lakes, citing severe damage to the natural habitats and microhabitats of wetland birds, as reported in Times of India.
A division bench comprising Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice K Rajasekar passed the order on August 14 while hearing a writ petition filed by S Muralidharan.
Muralidharan had approached the court claiming that Smart City development works and the use of speed boats at the lakes had adversely affected bird habitats. He had also sought an end to commercial operations and the removal of a 154 kW floating solar plant installed at Ukkadam Periyakulam.
SACON Study Finds Sharp Decline In Waterbirds
The court had, in December last year, asked the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore, to assess whether development activities undertaken by the Coimbatore Corporation at the two waterbodies were adversely affecting birds.
In its report submitted recently, SACON concluded that Smart City lakefront development had severely damaged the natural habitats and microhabitats of wetland birds.
The report attributed the decline in waterbird populations to factors including extensive concretisation, commercial activities and floating solar panels.
The findings prompted the High Court to direct the civic authorities to address sewage-related problems before undertaking any further development.
The court said, “Considering the serious lapses noted by the Institution (SACON), we direct the authorities, first, to set right the sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Ukkadam and Valankulam lakes forthwith and prevent untreated wastewater from flowing freely into the lakes. Further developmental activities, including the ongoing and proposed projects, shall be halted until the Wetland Management Plan is implemented.”
Nearly 78% Of High-Priority Waterbirds Show Decline At Ukkadam
According to the SACON report, Ukkadam lake has recorded a sharp fall in the reporting frequency of nearly 78% of high-priority waterbirds listed in the State of India’s Birds dataset.
Several species that were previously recorded at the lake have disappeared from observation records in recent years.
The curlew sandpiper, slender-billed gull and little tern have not been recorded since 2021. Three endemic species have not been recorded since September 2018.
Threatened species including the river tern, black-tailed godwit and spot-billed pelican have also shown steep declines.
Valankulam has witnessed a similar deterioration. The SACON report recorded rapid declines in species such as the whiskered tern, garganey and little ringed plover, while the common teal and common kestrel have not been recorded at the lake after 2017.
Concretisation Removes Bird Feeding Grounds
Ecologists cited the conversion of the lakes’ natural shorelines into concrete embankments as one of the major factors affecting bird habitats.
The replacement of gentle, muddy shores with steep concrete edges has eliminated shallow-water areas used by wading birds for feeding.
The report also pointed to invasive vegetation, untreated sewage entering the lakes and conversion of areas for aquaculture as factors contributing to declining water quality and disruption of aquatic food chains.
Smart City Projects Cost Over ₹130 Crore
The Smart City lakefront development projects were initiated in 2018 as part of works covering seven lakes in Coimbatore.
The lakefront project at Ukkadam was executed at a cost of approximately ₹62.17 crore, while the project at Valankulam cost around ₹67.86 crore.
With the High Court now directing the corporation to halt ongoing and proposed development works, further activity at the two lakes will remain suspended until the Wetland Management Plan is implemented.
The court has also directed the authorities to ensure that untreated sewage does not continue to flow into the waterbodies and to rectify the sewage treatment plants at both locations.
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