Chennai: Residents of Ennore are up in arms as the contractors employed by Tangedco have been dumping construction debris in the Kosasthaliyar river and the Buckingham canal to lay the access road.
The road to facilitate closed conveyor belt from port to Ennore Thermal Power Station (Annexe) affects the natural course of the water bodies and defies various environmental laws, rue environmental activists.
Though the works have been tentatively stopped following the agitation by locals, environmentalists have objected to the construction as it also takes a toll on the mangrove habitat here.
Deccan Chronicle is in possession of the documents that clearly indicate Tangedco has violated Coastal Zone regulation clearance, 2011, the water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Environmental protection act, 1990.
The CRZ clearance obtained by Tangedco for setting up its additional unit clearly specifies that the pipeline system and the discharge system should not affect fishing and movement of fishermen.
According to the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Plan, the site of construction falls in CRZ – IV, which is a water body. Laying a road at this hydrologically important path – where Kosasthaliyar river enters Ennore creek to exit into the Bay of Bengal – blocks the river and increases flood vulnerability, said Pooja Kumar of Coastal Resource Centre.
Echoing the same, R.L. Srinivasan, President of Fishermen co-operative society said, “Three roads are being laid in a kilometer radius, which is popular for mangrove plantations,” he said.
K. Saravanan, another fishermen said the blockage on the river violates Section 3(iv) the CRZ Notification 2011. The clearance also mandated the pipelines that carry coolant water needed to be buried underground. This has been violated as pipelines are laid on the surface.
“Their environmental assessment and the alignment of coal conveyor corridor are not made public. Tangedco had obtained ‘consent to establish’ for power generation from Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. But there is no consent for conveyor corridor,” added Pooja Kumar.
