Pallikaranai

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Pallikaranai | type = city | latd = | longd =
state_name = Tamil Nadu
district = Kancheepuram
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population_as_of = 2001
population_total = 22,503| population_density =
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Pallikaranai is a town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the Chennai suburbs

Demographics

As of 2001 India census [GR|India] , Pallikaranai had a population of 22,503. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Pallikaranai has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 67%. In Pallikaranai, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.There are many lakes here,and there are so many temples,parks and schools.Real Estate is the major business here.

Now many IT&ITES companies are opening their offices in this area. So rate of growth of real estate is more than 30%.

Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS)-> (Located in Pallikaranai approx. 2.5 km from Velachery Railway Station)Another Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is constructed along the Pallavaram - Thoraipakkam ring road. It houses companies like TCS,Wipro, Siemens, Ford and call-centers like Sutherland.

The Rs. 38.5 crore ROB in Tambaram was scheduled for completion in March 2009 and the Rs. 13.2 crore grade separator at Pallikaranai by October 2008 and hoped they would be completed six months ahead of time

Work on a grade separator in Pallikaranai at the intersection of Velachery Main Road and Pallavaram - Thoraipakkam Radial Road will be taken up after Local Administration Minister M. K. Stalin lays the foundation stone at a function on Saturday.

The Minister would be taking part in a function in Tambaram on that day and he would lay the foundation for a road overbridge at Tambaram and for the Pallikaranai grade separator. Highways Minister Vellakoil Saminathan visited Tambaram last week to finalise the function venue.

While the bridge at Tambaram is estimated to cost Rs. 34 crore, Rs. 14 crore is to be spent on the Pallikaranai grade separator.

Mr. Saminathan announced the construction of this project in February after an inspection of Pallikaranai, where work on minor bridges was in progress.

As per the design, vehicles towards Pallikaranai and Velachery would ply on the bridge, while motorists proceeding to Pallavaram and Thoraipakkam would be using the road beneath, according to senior engineers of the Highways Department.

ETL Infrastructure Services MD S Thiagarajan, who has developed an ITeS SEZ in Pallikaranai village near Chennai, said, "There is so much controversy about the possible misuse and land scam that I do not want to get into social infrastructure. I am sure that private builders will find it lucrative to build houses around our SEZ

Pallikaranai hails the latest hi - tech hospital Dr. Kamakshi Memorial Hospital and a paramedical institute Dr. kamakshi Institute of paramedical Sciences.

Pallikaranai Marsh

Pallikaranai wetland is a fresh water swamp adjacent to the Bay of Bengal situated about 20 km south of Chennai city with a geographical area of 80 km². The swamp is helpful in charging the aquifers of the region. It is one of the last few remaining natural ecosystems in the city of Chennai.

The topography of the swamp is such that it always retains some storage, thus forming an aquatic ecosystem. It has been a home for naturally occurring plants (61 species), fish (46 species), birds (106 species), butterflies (7 species), reptiles (21 species) and some exotic floating vegetation such as water hyacinth and water lettuce, which are less extensive now and highly localized. Recent reports of the appearance of the white-spotted garden skink, for the first time in Tamilnadu, and Russell’s viper, the largest and the most widespread among Asian vipers, confirm its invaluable ecological status. Fish such as dwarf gourami and chromides that are widely bred and traded worldwide for aquaria, occur naturally in Pallikaranai. Besides, the windowpane oyster, mud crab, mullet, half beak and green chromide are some of the estuarine fauna present in the marsh. Dumping of solid waste, discharge of sewage, construction of buildings, construction of a railway station and a new road to connect old Mahabhalipuram road and Pallavaram are causing the Pallikaranai marsh to shrink. [http://cpreec.org/04_phamplets/20_wetlands/conservation%20of%20wetlands.htm Ref] Cognizant chennai is located here now.

A major portion of the Pallikaranai marshland in south Chennai has been declared a reserve forest area and brought under the Tambaram range of the Forest department, according to a draft notification issued on April 9.

"The proposal of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests sent in his letter for publication of the notification under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882 is approved," says the notification.

Senior department officials said a special tahsildar had been appointed to specify the boundaries and the extent of the marshland to be brought under their control. From now on, it would be known as `Pallikaranai Swamp Forest Block.'

They said 3.17 square kilometres (about 793 acres) of the marshland had been classified as reserve forest area.

Earlier, it was classified under the Revenue records of the Kancheepuram district administration. For several years, nature lovers, environmentalists and civic groups had been pressing for protecting the area, as it was a natural habitat with rich flora and fauna.

Stringent action likely

With the department taking over the marshland, it would be possible to take stringent action against trespassers and those dumping and burning garbage there, the officials said. Provisions of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act and Wildlife Protection Act could be invoked against them. Pallikaranai is the 17th reserve forest area in the Tambaram Range, whose reserve forest area goes up to 56.27 square kilometres (22 mile²).

we would like to mention that Dr.D.S.Rajalakshmi Educational Society and INstitute of Social Service had planned to develop their 10 acres of land inside Naryanapuram, one km from Balaji Dental College to a typical rural village, of 16th century, to develop peace and harmony. To enjoy coming out of modern developments. to give mental peace by ignoring all electronic gadgets. [http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/21/stories/2007042117590100.htm Hindu]

Pollution

Pallikaranai's ground water is extremely polluted. The public garbage dump near it is responsible for the pollution. The affluents from this dump has leached into ground water and has adversely affected it to a extent that consumption is possible only when strict rules are enforced to protect the Marsh from dumping the garbage.

References