Tamirabharani River:
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has declared Tamil Nadu’s Tamirabharani (Porunai) river a deity and granted it legal personhood to curb pollution.
- It is a perennial river of southern India flowing entirely within Tamil Nadu.
- It originates from the Agastyarkoodam peak of Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats.
- It flows initially northward and later turns eastward, passing through Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts of the Tamil Nadu state.
- It drains into the Gulf of Mannar.
- It is fed by both southwest and northeast monsoons.
- Major tributaries include Servalar, Manimuthar, Gadananathi, Pachaiyar, Chittar, Ramanathi and Koraiyar, all originating from forested Western Ghats.
- The river forms Paanatheertham waterfalls near Karaiyar reservoir and Kalyanatheertham and Agasthiar falls near Papanasam
- Key dams on this river include Karaiyar Dam, Manimuthar Dam, Gadananathi Dam and Ramanathi Dam.
