About Pulicat Lake

• • Pulicat Lake is located on the Coromandel Coast, between the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh,  with 96% of the lake is located in Andhra Pradesh and only 3% is in Tamil Nadu.
  • It is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India.

• A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands

• The lake is separated from the Bay of Bengal by Sriharikota island, home to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
• It is a unique Ecotone that supports rich biodiversity , from aquatic life such as mudskippers, seagrass beds, and oyster reefs to more than 200 avian species(birds), including migratory birds such as Eurasian curlews, bar-tailed godwits, sand plovers, and flamingos.
  • An ecotone is a transitional area between two Ecosystems.
• Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary is located within the lake and hosts a rich biodiversity of birds and aquatic life. 
• Major inflows to the lake include Arani, Kalangi, and Swarnamukhi rivers.
• The Flamingo Festival is an annual event that promotes tourism in this region.

Threats

• Despite its ecological significance, Pulicat Lake is facing several threats such as pollution, both from industrial activities and domestic sewage.
• The lake is also threatened by the encroachment of its banks by local communities and the illegal mining of sand. 
• The rapid development of aquaculture and fishing activities in the lake is also contributing to the degradation of its ecosystem.

Why in the news?

• The Tamil Nadu government has taken steps to denotify the boundaries of the Pulicat bird sanctuary.This will reduce the sanctuary’s Eco-sensitive zone.

Eco Sensitive zones

• Ecologically sensitive zones (ESZ) are intended to protect ‘protected areas’ such as National parks and Wildlife sanctuaries.
• The National Wildlife Action Plan (2002–2016) of the Environment Ministry endorsed that state governments should declare land falling within 10 km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as ESZs under the provisions of the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. 
• The Purpose of an ESZ is to regulate activities around National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries so as to minimize the negative impacts of such activities on the fragile ecosystem encompassing the protected areas.

Activities in ESZ

• Prohibited Activities
  • Commercial mining , Setting of saw mills, Commercial use of firewood, Establishment of major hydroelectric projects, etc

• Regulated Activities

• Felling of trees, establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of natural water resources, erection of electrical cables, pesticides etc, widening of roads.

• Permitted Activities

• Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, organic farming, use of renewable energy sources, adoption of green technology for all activities. 

Source

Pulicat Lake

• https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulicat_Lake#:~:text=Pulicat%20Lake%20is%20India’s%20second,Coromandel%20Coast%20in%20South%20India.
• https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/pulicat-in-peril-again/article68140658.ece

Eco sensitive zones

• https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/analysis-why-has-the-creation-of-eco-sensitive-zones-provoked-protests/article66377452.ece
• https://www.indiatimes.com/explainers/news/what-are-eco-sensitive-zones-and-what-are-the-recent-protests-around-it-573141.html