A couple of years ago, a few villagers from Valayaputtur around Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary blocked the flow of water from the nearby lake with sandbags. “This reduced the amount of water that flowed into the Vedanthangal tank. This affected the storage levels at the birds’ sanctuary,” says T Ritto Cyriac, zoo director and chief conservator of forests.Now, the forest department is attempting to rope in the same villagers to help protect the sanctuary. “We have formed eco-development committees in five villages around Vedanthangal Birds’ Sanctuary to create self-employment opportunities for residents. This way, they will have a greater interest in protecting the sanctuary, say officials.“Water from the Valayaputtur lake reaches the Vedanthangal tank through five channels passing through Valayaputtur, Vallaputtur, Mettukudisai, Vinayaganallur and Pasumbur villages,” says Cyriac.Each committee will maintain a corpus from which interest-free small loans will be extended to members who need them. Members can use the money to raise their monthly earnings. “They can, for instance, start a tea shop, buy milch cattle to sell milk, or set up a small roadside tiffin shop with the funds,” says Kulal Yogesh Vilas, wildlife warden. “This will make locals a part of conservation efforts. It’s a win-win for the villagers and the birds.”The committees consist of a president, secretary and treasurer. Bank accounts are being opened for every member of the group, says Yogesh. Once completed, the committees will begin functioning in their respective villages.
