Fisherfolk want west side of Ennore creek protected

Chennai: The  ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) recently wrote a letter to the Kamaraj Port laying down stringent rules including one that no development should be carried out on 100 metres on either side of the Kosasthalaiyar river. “Though the area including the portion of Kosasthalaiyar river has been transferred to Kamarajar Port Limited, no activity shall be carried out in this zone, by maintaining a buffer of 100m since waterbodies and wetlands are more important than development activity,” the letter said.

This letter has come as a major victory to the fishermen at the Ennore Creek who had been fighting tirelessly to protect their marshland. As part of the Phase III expansion, Kamarajar port had planned to develop facilities like commercial buildings and parking terminals on the eastern part of the Kosasthalaiyar river, largely known for its salt pans.

However, their battle to declare all of Ennore Creek off limits for industrial projects will intensify, the fisherfolk said.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, RL Srinivasan, a fisherman from Kattukuppam, says that the port will do everything it can to break the rules. “The eastern side, where the mangrove is, is where prawns usually breed. It gives us an abundance to fish from, especially after the rains,” he said. The area makes a natural
breeding ground for them, but in recent times, there has been no such thing, he added.

However, the Union ministry has allowed Kamarajar Port to construct facilities like coal yards on the western part of the creek. The expert appraisal committee that recommended expansion appraised the project based on Draft Coastal Zone Management Plans prepared in 2018, instead of using the approved 1996 plans. “These maps are not accurate, we have asked that they are corrected and be drawn according to the natural stretch of the river, according to the 1996 plan,” said Srinivasan.

“The port has constructed a tall concrete bund along the west side. If it rains, water will not drain into the sea through it. It starts along the Athipattu power plant all the way to the west of the creek for at least 5 km,” he said. The fisherfolk demand that in order to protect the west side be passed too.

“The east side will be protected but the west has water, we need that too,” he said.