Ennore fishermen urge TN govt to remove obstructions from Kosasthalaiyar, Ennore backwaters

CHENNAI: Fishermen around Ennore have urged the state government to take action to minimise impact of flooding and inundation in North Chennai during the ongoing monsoon by removing obstructions from the Kosasthalaiyar and Ennore backwaters.

In an open letter to revenue department minister KKSSR Ramachandran and secretary P Amudha, the fishermen recounted that since the 1960s, when the first thermal power plant was set up and industrialisation intensified in Ennore and Manali regions, the Ennore wetlands and along with it their livelihoods have degraded considerably due to industrial encroachments and pollution.

The letter highlighted that some of the Tantransco (Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation) towers had been constructed around Napalayam bridge, near Manali New Town, exactly at the point where the Kosasthalaiyar flows into the Ennore Creek, merging with the surplus floodwaters from Puzhal reservoir.

The fishermen also pointed out that the ecologically sensitive Konamudukku Kalvai area was illegally filled by Tangedco using dredged sea sand and a concrete foundation was laid for pillars, despite Madras High Court orders directing to remove the concrete foundation which is found to be *impeding the flow of water and boat traffic. "To date, this task has not been completed. Konamudukku section is among the deepest sections of the river’s backwaters. However, due to the illegal dumping, the river floor in this section becomes exposed during low tide," they rued.

They also added that the section of the river from Mun Konamudukku to Kandachedi Paadu is silted up due to sand deposits moved there by the tide from TANGEDCO’s Konamudukku dumping.

The letter also mentioned that three roads laid across the Buckingham canal for carrying out planting under CRRT’s (Chennai River Restoration Trust) habitat restoration project were not removed, and hence continue to obstruct the flow of the canal, even after planting was completed. "Between Nooradi and Puzhudhivakkam Paadu, a road laid across Buckingham canal by Tantransco for the erection of transmission towers has still not been removed even after completion of tower erection. Also, the river has been blocked at Vilamaram Paadu to construct Peripheral Road," the fishermen pointed out.

They also demanded the government remove obstructions at Pin Puliyamaram Paddi to Lock Munai and Manja Machine Kalvai to Jallikuzhi to enable the free flow of water in the river and backwaters.