06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

Pulicat Lake
I. Introduction
Pulicat Lake
The Pulicat Lake region is the second largest
brackish water lagoon next to Chilika Lake in
Orissa state. The lagoon is spread over two states:
Andhra Pradesh (84%) and Tamil Nadu (16%) (Fig.
1). Fishing communities have played a significant
role in conserving this ecosystem through
generations of interactions with the lagoon system
and other ecosystems around. Over the years they
have developed immense empirical knowledge,
about this resources in their immediate vicinity
and developed a variety of traditional technology
according to different ecological needs. The
culture and life style of many indigenous and local.
communities were embodied on biological
resources. In about 147 villages, more than one
lakh people are dependent on the bio-resources of
the Pulicat Lake. Mammals, sea turtles,
amphibians, snakes, birds, insects, reptiles form
the important faunal biodiversity. Tiger prawns,
white prawns, crabs, mullets, clams, edible oyster
and catfish form the important aquatic bioresources.
The regional/landscape diversity
includes, mangroves, sand dunes and beaches,
scrub jungle, wetlands with herbs and shrubs and
cultivated fields with cashew, paddy, fruits and
vegetables. Pulicat also attracts and supports
many migratory and resident water birds.
Pulicat has been an ancient antbropogenic center
starting from 10'"century, during the Chola period
as a result of its rich bio-resources. It was also an
important international trade center which, the
Dutch colonized until British East India Company
took over in 1781. During the British rule the
international attraction of the Pulicat Lake was
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- R. Bhuvaneswari
lost as Madras evolved as a major trading center.
In the post independence period, Pulicat was in a
slow pace of development till seventies. Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) identified the
site for rocket launching station in 1985 at
Shriharikota replacing some of the traditional
villages. Kaattupalli Island, in the south of Pulicat
Lake was developed into Ennore Island with a
thermal power plant, port and a petrochemical
complex. In the present context Pulicat Lake
suffers from rapid siltation and morphometric
changes, which has larger impact on the bioresources
of the region.
India, in its attempt to be a part of the
globalization process, has necessitated the
increase of industrial houses from petrochemicals
to aqua farms. The gigantic developments that are
coming up at much velocity in the Pulicat Lake
region as a part of new development paradii,rm
have mystified the local communities. These
development projects are to fetch baskets of
foreign exchange by catering to the growing
consumer needs of the developed nations in total
disregard of the environmental and ecological
depletion. The recent changes in and around the
Pulicat lagoon indicates wide array of social,
ecological and economic problems in the region,
through inorganic pollution, siltation, erosion, loss
of seasonal bar mouth openings etc. It is
unfortunate that the Government considers
coastal development synonymous to technological
development and industrialization. It is therefore
highly necessary to find out the present status of
the bio-resource of Pulicat Lake to draw out
strategies for conservation of Pulicat ecosystem
sustainably.