Context
The Madras High Court has referred a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to its Forest Bench seeking a scientific assessment of the Berijam Lake ecosystem to determine whether the area qualifies for notification as a Tiger Reserve.
About Berijam Lake
- Berijam Lake is an artificial freshwater lake located near Kodaikanal in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, in the Upper Palani Hills of the Western Ghats.
- It covers an area of about 59 acres and was formed in 1867 after the construction of a dam with sluice outlets under a micro-watershed development project.
- The lake is situated near the historic Fort Hamilton, and the surrounding area served as a British military cantonment during the colonial period.
- It is a major source of drinking water for nearby towns.
- The lake supports rich biodiversity, providing habitat to species such as gaur (Indian bison), Indian elephant, Nilgiri langur, deer, serpent eagle, rosefinch, leaf-warbler, and pale-rumped swallow.
- Known for its crystal-clear waters, Berijam Lake is an ecologically important freshwater ecosystem in the Upper Palani Hills.a
