Chennai: Their livelihood was imperilled because they were busy fighting for their rights. Efforts were made to split their unity as vested interests launched an offensive against their unity. The fishermen of Ennore creek did not, however, surrender. The end product is a Buckingham canal in North Chennai which is now free of encroachments and fly ash.
Buckingham canal, which plays a major role in flushing out the excess water from the City into the Bay of Bengal, wore a shattered look with oil effluents and a culvert constructed by Ennore Thermal Power Station. After a team effort, silt has been removed and water flows in the canal now, bringing great cheer to the locals.
Incessant persuasion by fishermen and activists, following the National Green Tribunal’s order to stop polluting the water body deserves the success tag.
Forming co-operative societies, conducting serious demonstrations and confronting the polluters was how the community people from six villages of Ennore creek fought for their right to access non-polluted water.
Narrating their ordeal, Raveendran, President of Ennore Anaithu Meenava Grama Koottamaippu said, “The intensity of the destruction in the canal is such that fishermen did not mind giving up fishing, to participate in agitations. There were vested interests to destroy our unity. Yet, we did not capitulate.”
“I could still remember the days where we went to bed on an empty stomach. Yet, the fight is important, considering the damage caused during last year’s floods, due to dumping of fly ash and dredge sand into the Buckingham canal and Ennore creek,” said fisherman Srinivasan.
Fisher folk said that certain parts of the canal had to be silted properly and requested the officials to conduct a thorough inspection. Members of Coastal Resource Centre supported the community by persuading the Disaster Relief Commissioner and district administration for the cause.
“Encroachments by Kamarajar port and Tangedco’s fly ash have not been removed and effluents from Manali and sewage from North Chennai continue to drain into the canal. But, there is an assurance that this will be acted upon,” environmentalist Nithyanand Jayaraman said.
