09 Jun 2021  Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve 

 Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve

Context:

The recently declared Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu will provide protection to Megamalai, the Vaigai’s primary catchment, in turn helping water levels to rise in the river.

About

Vaigai River:

• Origin and Tributaries:
  • It originates in the Western Ghats (Varushanad Hills).
  • It travels through the Pandya Nadu regionof Tamil Nadu.
  • Its main tributaries are Suruliyaru, Mullaiyaru, Varaganadhi, Manjalaru, Kottagudi, Kridhumaal and Upparu.
  • The Vaigai is 258 kms longand finally empties into the Palk Strait near the Pamban Bridge in Ramanathapuram district.
• Heritage River:
  • The Vaigai was the river that flowed through the noted city of Madurai, the capital(4^th-11^thcentury CE) of the ancient and prosperous Pandya kingdom located in southern Tamil Nadu.
  • The river finds a mention in Sangam literature dated to 300 before the Common Era.
• Significance:
  • The river fulfils the drinking water requirement of five districts of Tamil Nadu namely Theni, Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai and Dindigul.
  • It also provides irrigation to 2,00,000 hectares of agricultural land.

Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve:

• Establishment:
  • It was established in February 2021.It was jointly declared by the Centre and Tamil Nadu governments.
  • For this, the Megamalai WLS and the adjoining Srivilliputhur WLS were clubbed together.
  • Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve is the fifth Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu, and 51^thtiger reserve of India.
• Ecological Diversity:
  • Animals seen here are Bengal tiger, elephants, gaur, Indian giant squirrel, leopard, Nilgiri Tahrs,
  • It has a mix of tropical evergreen forests and semi-evergreen forests, dry deciduous forests and moist mixed deciduous forests, grassland.
    

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Yojna IAS Current Affairs Team