Pulicat Lake

Why in news? The Union Budget 2026–27 has designated ecologically sustainable bird-watching trails along Pulicat Lake, spanning Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
•    Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India, spread across the States of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu along the Coromandel Coast.
•    It is an ecologically significant coastal wetland and bird sanctuary, hosting large populations of migratory and resident birds such as flamingos, pelicans, painted storks, herons, and shorebirds, making it a major bird-watching destination.
•    The lake is one of the three key wetlands influencing the North-East Monsoon over Tamil Nadu, playing an important role in regional rainfall patterns during October.
•    Pulicat Lake is separated from the Bay of Bengal by the long and narrow Sriharikota Island, which acts as a natural barrier island and regulates the lagoon’s brackish nature.
•    Sriharikota Island hosts the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India’s primary satellite-launching facility, giving the region strategic and technological significance.
•    The lagoon supports local livelihoods through salt production and prawn fisheries, contributing to the coastal economy of the region.
•    The lake has a single narrow sea opening at the southern end of Sriharikota Island, which influences tidal exchange and ecological balance within the lagoon.