Context:
Madras High Court directs local bodies to come up with action plan to rejuvenate Vaigai
Vaigai River:
- Flows through the state of Tamil Nadu.
- Also referred to as – Shiva Ganga and Kritamaala
- Historic significance –
- Flowed through the city of Madurai, the capital of the ancient Pandya kingdom located in southern Tamil Nadu.
- Finds a mention in Sangam literature
- The story of the river is told in Thiruvilayadal Puranam
- Origin – Varusanadu Hills, the Periyar Plateau of the Western Ghats range.
- Empties into – Palk Strait near the Pamban Bridge
- Tributaries – Suruliyaru, Mullaiyaru, Varaaga Nadhi, Manjalaru, Kottagudi, Kridhumaal and Upparu.
- Vattaparai Falls is also located on this river.
- Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu provide protection to Megamalai, the Vaigai’s primary catchment
Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve:
- Established in 2021, clubbing together Megamalai WLS and the adjoining Srivilliputhur
- 5th Tiger Reserve of Tamil Nadu, and 51th tiger reserve of India.
- Ecological Diversity –
- Offers protection to Indian giant squirrel, Nilgiri Tahrs, etc.
- Has a mix of tropical evergreen forests and semi-evergreen forests, dry deciduous forests and moist mixed deciduous forests, grassland.
- Other 4 Tiger reserves of Tamil Nadu –
- Anamalai tiger reserve
- Kalakkad – Mundanthurai tiger reserve
- Mudumalai tiger reserve
- Sathyamangalam tiger reserve
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Which of the following is/are tributary/tributaries of Brahmaputra?
1. Dibang
2. Kameng
3. Lohit
Select the correct answer using the code given below
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d)