The Forest Department of Tamilnadu, India has forwarded the proposal to redraw the boundary of the world's oldest Bird Sanctuary Vedanthangal to be reduced by 40% for commercial use. The proposal has been forwarded to the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for approval. 

Year after year thousand of birds come back to the very same place they were born - their motherland . It is our duty to safeguard the nursery of our feathered friends. Can any one think of reducing the size of our maternity hospital for the sake of setting up a pharmacy?! This is similar. The pride of Chennai and the historical Vedanthangal must be saved. Let’s join together to help them continue their great migration - the trans Himalayan migration to come and have their babies in their motherland, our Vedanthangal.

Chief Wildlife Warden S Yuvaraj of Tamilnadu Forest Department has said "the existing biodiversity of the sanctuary will not be affected and in fact would bring back the support of the local community for the cause of bird conservation". This is time travel in terms of "accomodating" a commercial establishment to establish "support for the local community" This is a historical Sanctuary for a diaspora of migratory birds. 

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a 30-hectare (74-acre) protected area located in the Chengalpattu District and Madurantakam taluk of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sanctuary is about 75 kilometres (47 mi) from Chennai on National Highway 45 ([NH45]). Easily reachable from Madurantakam and Chengalpattu. More than 40,000 birds (including 26 rare species), from various parts of the world visit the sanctuary during the migratory season every year. Vedanthangal is home to migratory birds such as pintail, garganey, grey wagtail, blue-winged teal, common sandpiper and the like. Vedanthangal is the oldest water bird sanctuary in the Country. Vedanthangal in Tamil language means 'hamlet of the hunter'. This area was a favourite hunting spot of the local landlords in the early 18th century. The region attracted a variety of birds because it was dotted with small lakes that acted as feeding grounds for the birds. Realising its ornithological importance, the British government undertook steps to develop Vedanthangal into a bird sanctuary as early as 1798. This was established in 1858 by the order of the Collector of Chengalpattu.

THIS IS PURE COMMERCIALIZATION of A SANCTUARY! 

It is DEMANDED (not humbly requested for!) that you scrap this proposal and rather work towards protecting the flora and fauna of our state Tamilnadu and India in whole, not destroy it! World is moving towards expansion of Sanctuaries, not towards reducing it.

Deepak Nambiar
ELEPHAS MAXIMUS INDICUS TRUST (EMIT)