- Recently, the Tamil Nadu Government issued a notification declaring Arittapatti in Melur block, Madurai district, a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS).
- It is Tamil Nadu’s first and India’s 35th Biodiversity Heritage Site.
- The Site spreads in an area of 193.215 hectares in Arittapatti and Meenakshipuram villages in the Madurai district.
- The notification comes under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and will strengthen biodiversity conservation and protect from rapid loss of biodiversity.
- Arittapatti consists of a chain of seven barren granite hillocks. It supports 72 lakes, 200 natural spring pools, and 3 check dams.
- The region also has historical importance – Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, Jain Beds, and Rock-cut temples which are 2,200 years old. Further, the Government of Tamil Nadu considers that the 7 inselbergs of Arittapatti will be of adequate biodiversity importance.
- Biodiversity heritage sites are well-defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile ecosystems with high diversity of wild and domesticated species, presence of rare and threatened species, and keystone species.
Notification issued by Tamil Nadu Government of its first and India’s 35th Biodiversity Heritage Site
