TANGEDCO’s road ordered to be removed

An inspection was carried out by Tiruvallur district Collector E Sundaravalli on Sunday morning, following which its removal was ordered. Pooja Kumar, Researcher, Coastal Resource Centre, said, “Since the road built under the Ennore Highway bridge increased the bund and created a flooding vulnerability and that it was an encroachment, it resulted in its removal. 

Though the preliminary work had begun for the removal, we hope that the debris will not end up in another part of the wetland, which is usually the case.” The order for the removal comes after an inspection report dated November 1, 2017, submitted by the Regional Office of the MOEF&CC, Nungambakkam, which had confirmed that, “TANGEDCO has encroached upon and blocked the backwaters of Ennore Creek, beneath the Ennore Highway bridge, by establishing an approach road no. 2 of 350 m length and 6 m width, for the construction of external coal conveyor system without obtaining the prior approval from MoEF&CC, New Delhi and Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNCZMA).” 

Fishermen from Kaattukuppam, Mugatwarakuppam, Ennore Kuppam and Sivanpadai Kuppam were happy that their efforts have paid off, ensuring that their already vulnerable situation (of flooding), due to already existing encroachments on wetlands, did not worsen as the monsoon season continues.