TIRUPUR: Around 85% of the invasive water hyacinth choking the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary lake in Tirupur district has been removed under an ongoing 98-day operation, a forest department initiative with funding from an environment organisation. Officials have noted an early return of birds as open water patches expand.A joint site review was held on Saturday by D Venkatesh, chief conservator of forests and field director, Anamalai Tiger Reserve; Rajesh Boje, district forest officer, Tirupur division and deputy director, Anamalai Tiger Reserve; and Tirupur collector Dr Manish Narnaware, to assess progress of the restoration work at the district’s only bird sanctuary.VETRY Trust president T R Sivaram said the organisation was ready to support the sanctuary “financially, with materials, and with manpower for the next 10 years” to keep the habitat secure for resident and migratory birds.VETRY CEO Natraj Muthusamy explained that aerial mapping found about 200 acres of hyacinth cover in the roughly 400-acre lake area, contributing to a drop in bird visits after the sanctuary was notified in 2022. The mechanised removal uses a Komatsu custom aquatic boat to cut and move weed mats to the bund, where an excavator with a modified back bucket drains and loads the biomass into tractors. Two tractors and additional vehicles are deployed continuously for transport.Natraj said ducks and geese had begun returning in larger numbers, along with deep-swimming birds such as cormorants, as sunlight and oxygen levels improve. About ₹30 lakh has been spent so far, with total costs projected at ₹40-45 lakh. Manual teams will clear remaining pockets, and bamboo or steel inlet filters are planned to prevent re-infestation.
