Chennai: The scorching heat this season has taken its toll of the Nanmangalam Reserve Forest. The eco-system, home to several species of plants and birds, has seemingly lost many of its shrubs as they have all dried up owing to the heat.
According to sources, the lake inside the forest is seeing shrinking water levels, which, in turn, has led to shortage of supply to the flora and fauna. “In order to restore the lost greenery, officials have arranged for sapling drives. Trees like mango and almond have been planted now, but we will have to wait and see if they survive the summer. Lack of water and shade in the forest area has also largely affected the animals and birds,” said sources.
The forest is spread over 320 hectares, with more than 83 species of feathered friends and 500 varieties of plants. Also, in a move to preserve the eco-system, the authorities recently started constructing a perimeter wall along its boundaries on Medavakkam-Tambaram and Medavakkam-Madipakkam roads.
“The work is half-complete and is expected to be completed by this month. Information boards have also been placed at several locations around the forest asking residents to exercise caution in the area. Requests have been made to people against smoking, drinking or littering on the premises,” added sources.