Compensate fisherfolk, local residents for loss of livelihood at Ennore: Activists

Hitting out at Tangedco for continuing illegalities in Ennore Creek, a three-member citizen panel comprising of water expert Prof S Janakarajan, singer and activist TM Krishna and G Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal wrote to Madras High Court Chief Justice and Chief Minister MK Stalin seeking compensation for the fisherfolk and local residents who are affected by the fly ash contamination and air pollution. 

They also warned the government that Tangedco’s exposure to liabilities arising from its reckless violation of laws in Ennore will place a substantial burden on the exchequer. 

“We are appealing to the Chief Justice because Tangedco has functioned as if it is above the law for all these years, and its pollution in Ennore has hurt the poor, including women who hand-pick prawns from the river, the worst. They need to be compensated for lost livelihoods and health,” they said after releasing the report titled ‘Illegal Immunity’ Tangedco’s violations in Ennore Creek: a Citizen Panel Inspection Report here on Friday. 

The report noted that already, the wetlands in Ennore have lost more than 1,500 acres of its water spread to industrial activities including coal yards, petroleum terminals, thermal power plant facilities and ash ponds. “In addition to this, the Ennore Creek has also been victim to indiscriminate pollution due to coal ash from Tangedco’s thermal power plants. Now, a new ash pipeline and a coal-seawater conveyor corridor are being constructed in the river illegally,” it said. 

After hearing the testimonies from local fishers and reviewed documents complied by the Save Ennore Creek Campaign on the legal status of the two projects, the panel found that Tangedco has demonstrated a willful disregard for the law, and its operations are in violation of laws and license conditions, and in contempt of several orders of various courts. 

The citizen panel urged the government to immediately stop all the works undertaken by the Tangedco and restore the river to its original state. “Ensure that Tangedco pays for scientific remediation of the Ennore Creek by removing all fly ash and debris dumped in the Buckingham Canal, Kosasthalai river, its backwaters and flood plains and abandoned salt pans. Compensate fisherfolk for loss of livelihood due to contamination of the Ennore Creek and local residents for loss of health and quality of life due to air pollution from NCTPS and associated impacts,” they said, seeking relocation of residents of Seppakkam hamlet near the ash dyke to a safe site and provide them with adequate freshwater in the interim. They also sought action against the officials for violating the high court and NGT order.