Coimbatore: Despite strict orders from the State Government routed through the Minister for Municipal Administration, Rural Development and Implementation of Special Programme, an official ban from the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), directions from law and requests from activists, illegal fishing continues to thrive at the Singanallur Lake, here.
Coimbatore: Despite strict orders from the State Government routed through the Minister for Municipal Administration, Rural Development and Implementation of Special Programme, an official ban from the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), directions from law and requests from activists, illegal fishing continues to thrive at the Singanallur Lake, here.
On Tuesday, as many as five coracles were spotted at the Singanallur Lake. In spite of a board standing tall which reads about a ban on fishing in the lake, those in the coracles went about their business of fishing, unhindered.
The ban was first announced in December 2018 and later came out as an official order from the CCMC after various review meetings. It was decided so, to complement the announcement of the Singanallur Lake as the first Urban Biodiversity Conservation Zone in Tamil Nadu.
The District Collector who visited the Singanallur Lake to inaugurate the weather station a month ago opined that the Lake had the potential of becoming a bird sanctuary like the one at Vedanthangal due to the rich flora and fauna in the area. The CCMC also did not include the Lake in the list of lakes that are tendered for fishing.
Conservation of the Singanallur Lake thrived on the other hand by conducting surveys and nature trails, with the Lake hosting up to 1000 species of fauna and flora, including more than 300 medicinal plants. However , nothing proved as a hindrance or deterrent for the fishermen at the Lake as they continued about their business and even openly sold the fishes caught in the front of the Lake.
Despite an announcement of the fishing ban put up around the Lake on Monday, the fishermen paid no heed and increased the number of coracles from their regular one to five at the Lake.
Sources state that at times fishermen could use up to seven coracles. “The Singanallur Lake is important for the urban ecosystem and is a model for many such projects. Many activities concerning conservation and nature education are on at full swing at the lakeside. But the fishing is purely nullifying it all,” lamented an activist.
On Tuesday, as many as five coracles were spotted at the Singanallur Lake. In spite of a board standing tall which reads about a ban on fishing in the lake, those in the coracles went about their business of fishing, unhindered.
The ban was first announced in December 2018 and later came out as an official order from the CCMC after various review meetings. It was decided so, to complement the announcement of the Singanallur Lake as the first Urban Biodiversity Conservation Zone in Tamil Nadu.
The District Collector who visited the Singanallur Lake to inaugurate the weather station a month ago opined that the Lake had the potential of becoming a bird sanctuary like the one at Vedanthangal due to the rich flora and fauna in the area. The CCMC also did not include the Lake in the list of lakes that are tendered for fishing.
Conservation of the Singanallur Lake thrived on the other hand by conducting surveys and nature trails, with the Lake hosting up to 1000 species of fauna and flora, including more than 300 medicinal plants. However , nothing proved as a hindrance or deterrent for the fishermen at the Lake as they continued about their business and even openly sold the fishes caught in the front of the Lake.
Despite an announcement of the fishing ban put up around the Lake on Monday, the fishermen paid no heed and increased the number of coracles from their regular one to five at the Lake.
Sources state that at times fishermen could use up to seven coracles. “The Singanallur Lake is important for the urban ecosystem and is a model for many such projects. Many activities concerning conservation and nature education are on at full swing at the lakeside. But the fishing is purely nullifying it all,” lamented an activist.