place

Pallikaranai wetland

EngvarB from September 2013Geography of ChennaiMarshes of IndiaProtected areas of Tamil NaduRamsar sites in India
Pallikaranai Marsh Residential Complex Sholinganallur Apr22 D72 23210
Pallikaranai Marsh Residential Complex Sholinganallur Apr22 D72 23210

Pallikaranai wetland is a freshwater marsh in the city of Chennai, India. It is situated adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of the city centre, and has a geographical area of 80 square kilometres (31 sq mi). Pallikaranai marshland is the only surviving wetland ecosystem of the city and is among the few and last remaining natural wetlands of South India. It is one of the 94 identified wetlands under National Wetland Conservation and Management Programme (NWCMP) operationalised by the Government of India in 1985–86 and one of the three in the state of Tamil Nadu, the other two being Point Calimere and Kazhuveli. It is also one of the prioritised wetlands of Tamil Nadu. The topography of the swamp is such that it always retains some storage, thus forming an aquatic ecosystem. A project on 'Inland Wetlands of India' commissioned by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India had prioritised Pallikaranai marsh as one of the most significant wetlands of the country. The marsh contains several rare or endangered and threatened species and acts as a forage and breeding ground for thousands of migratory birds from various places within and outside the country. The number of bird species sighted in the wetland is significantly higher than the number at Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.Indiscriminate dumping of toxic solid waste along the road, discharge of sewage, and construction of buildings, railway stations and a new road to connect Old Mahabhalipuram Road and Pallavaram have shrunk the wetland to a great extent. In 2007, as an effort to protect the remaining wetland from shrinking further, the undeveloped areas in the region were notified as a reserve forest. A 2018 study showed that about 60 percent of the native species in the wetland, including hoorahgrass (Fimbristylis), dwarf copperleaf or Ponnanganni keerai (Alternanthera sessilis), floating lace plant or kottikizhangu (Aponogeton natans), wild paddy (Oryza rufipogon), crested floating heart (Nymphoides), and nut grass (Cyperus), have been replaced by invasive species.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Pallikaranai wetland (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 12.9377 ° E 80.2153 °
placeShow on map

Address


600100 , Ward 189 (Zone 14 Perungudi)
Tamil Nadu, India
mapOpen on Google Maps

Pallikaranai Marsh Residential Complex Sholinganallur Apr22 D72 23210
Pallikaranai Marsh Residential Complex Sholinganallur Apr22 D72 23210
Share experience

Nearby Places

Thuraipakkam

Thoraipakkam (Tamil: துரைப்பாக்கம்) also spelt Thuraipakkam, also known as Okkiyam Thuraipakkam or Oggiyamduraipakkam, is an area of Chennai, India. It is one of the stops on what is called as the IT expressway, on Old Mahabalipuram Road, now known as Rajiv Gandhi Salai, the first six lane road in Chennai. Okkiyam Thoraipakkam is on the eastern banks of the Pallikaranai marsh which has been designated as a reserve forest area and is one of the few remaining significant natural ecosystems within Chennai . Thoraipakkam is 3 km in length, starting from Perungudi to its north. It is located exactly in the middle of the OMR Road (Like Sholinganallur or Navalur). The Thoraipakkam Pallavaram Radial road running east to west connects the IT corridor and the GST Road (Grand Southern Trunk Road) making Thoraipakkam well connected to the airport especially after the opening of the flyover (ROB) at the western end of the radial road in October 2010. This road plays a significant role, enabling quicker and easier movement of traffic between the major arterial roads to the south of Chennai including GST Road, Tambaram-Velachery main road and Old Mahabalipuram Road. Okkiyam Thoraipakkam has experienced substantial growth over the past decade, and it serves as a residential and commercial hub for neighbourhood in the south of Chennai. A number of information technology companies are based in Thoraipakkam. It has many IT Buildings and has many plants in the middle of the road. Palm Trees are known to grow in here. Okkiyam Thoraipakkam has pollution-related problems because a portion of the Pallikaranai marsh has been converted into a dump yard and garbage including medical waste, plastics, tires, are burnt. However, since beginning of 2009, burning has been officially banned and this has led to considerable improvement in the air quality and reduced the levels of pollution in the area. After the tsunami of 2004, affected fishermen were relocated to Kannagi Nagar which is a part of Thoraipakkam. The adjacent places to Thoraipakkam are Perungudi Neelankarai Palavakkam Karapakkam Pallikaranai InjambakkamChennai city corporation boundaries were expanded in the latter half of 2011. Subsequently, Thoraipakkam has ceased to be a village panchayat and has become fully integrated within Greater Chennai corporation.