Chennai, Oct 12 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu forest department is preparing to submit a proposal to declare the Samanatham tank, an ecological hotspot on the outskirts of Madurai, as a Ramsar site under the international wetland conservation convention.

The proposal is in its final stages and will soon be sent to the State Wetland Authority for review, according to senior forest officials.

The initiative comes in response to increasing pollution and the gradual loss of green cover around the waterbody, which serves as one of the district’s most important habitats for migratory birds.

Every winter, thousands of waterfowl arrive at the tank, making it a key biodiversity site in southern Tamil Nadu.

The Ramsar recognition is expected to bring in stronger legal protection and improved management

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