They announced Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve in Nadu will protect the Megamalai, Vaigais main catchment area, and help the river to rise.
Highlights:
About Vaigai River:
Its origins can be traced back to the Western Ghats (Varushanad Hills)
Suruliyaru, Mullaiyaru, Varaganadhi, Manjalaru, Kottagudi, Kridhumaal, and Upparu are its major tributaries.
The Vaigai runs for 258 kilometres before emptying into the Palk Strait near the Pamban Bridge in Ramanathapuram district.
The Vaigai was a river that ran through Madurai, the famous city that served as the capital (4th-11th century CE) of the ancient and prosperous Pandya kingdom in southern Tamil Nadu.
The river is mentioned in Sangam literature dating back to 300 BC.
The river supplies drinking water to five districts in Tamil Nadu: Theni, Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Dindigul and Sivagangai.
Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve:
It was founded in February 2021. It was jointly declared by the governments of the Centre and Tamil Nadu.
The Megamalai WLS and the adjacent Srivilliputhur WLS were combined for this.
Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve is the 51st tiger reserve in India and the fifth tiger reserve in Tamil Nadu.
Bengal tigers, elephants, gaurs, Indian giant squirrels, leopards, Nilgiri Tahrs, and other animals can be seen here.
It is made up of tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, dry deciduous and moist mixed deciduous forests, and Grassland.