TN notifies Elathur lake as 3rd biodiversity heritage site
The Minister said the declaration of Elathur lake as a BHS recognises the ecological and cultural significance of the site and strengthens the role of local communities in its protection
Minister Rajakannappan along with senior officials including additional secretary Supriya Sahu releases the notification
CHENNAI: The Government of Tamil Nadu has notified Elathur lake in Erode district, covering 37.42 hectares, as the state's third Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS) under Section 37 (1) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. The earlier sites declared were Arittapatti in November 2022 and Kasampatti in March 2025.
The notification was released on Monday at the State Secretariat by Forests and Khadi Minister RS Rajakannappan, in the presence of senior officials including Supriya Sahu, additional chief secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests; Srinivas R Reddy, principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force; and Mita Bannerjee, principal chief conservator of forests and member secretary, Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board.
The Minister said the declaration of Elathur lake as a BHS recognises the ecological and cultural significance of the site and strengthens the role of local communities in its protection.
Elathur Lake is an important wetland habitat supporting migratory and resident birds, aquatic fauna, and wetland ecosystems. Surveys have recorded 187 bird species, including the Endangered Steppe Eagle, two Vulnerable species — River Tern and Greater Spotted Eagle — and five Near Threatened species such as the Asian Woolly-necked Stork, Red-necked Falcon, Painted Stork, Oriental Darter and Black-headed Ibis. Around 5,000 birds gather during peak migratory seasons.
The lake also supports 38 plant species, 35 butterfly species, 12 dragonflies, 12 damselflies, 12 reptiles, 7 mammals, amphibians, fishes and other invertebrates.
It may be recalled that the Elathur town panchayat passed a resolution in January 2025 supporting the notification, followed by the District Collector's endorsement. Officials said the recognition would help safeguard biodiversity while allowing local communities to continue traditional practices.
