Chennai: Towards saving Ennore Creek from encroachers

Chennai: City based Coastal Research Center has alleged that State and Central government undertakings have encroached 1,090 acres of the 8,000-acre Ennore Creek. The charge was made at a press conference addressed by Justice (Retd) D  Hariparanthaman, Madras High Court, and Prof R.Nagendran, Member (Retd), National Green Tribunal, here on Friday.Had it been free of encroachments, the 8,000-acre creek would have been able to drain the floodwaters from the Kosasthalaiyar, Araniar and the surplus course of the Puzhal tank.The Kamarajar Port, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and TANGEDCO are alleged to have encroached the creek.

The encroachments have increased flood risk due to heavy rains and storm surges and aggravated the problem of seawater intrusion into Chennai's groundwater reserves in the Araniyar Kosasthalaiyar basin. 4 assembly constituencies RK Nagar, Madhavaram, Thiruvottiyur and Ponneri are at risk due to these encroachments, said the CRC.