Ennore residents’ report card for govt. flags gaps in wetland restoration, pollution control

Ennore residents have given the State government a poor ‘report card’ for the second year in a row due to continued gaps in pollution control, wetland restoration, and the protection of local livelihoods, despite years of promises and court directions.

The report assessed 24 government bodies against their commitments and legal obligations. Five of them — the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, the Chief Secretary’s office, the Energy Department, the Public Works Department, and the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority — ‘scored’ zero for failing to initiate any of their assessed commitments.

While some progress was recorded in solid waste management, the Ennore bus depot, and the public library, major commitments on wetland restoration, industrial pollution control, and fisheries remain unfulfilled, they said.

The report records a mass fish kill estimated at four to six tonnes in Ennore Creek on August 14 and August 15, which forced fishermen to stop work for three weeks. According to an RTI response dated September 25, no official report establishing the cause of the fish kill or documenting the action taken had been prepared.

Continuing fly-ash leaks, illegal emissions, and hot-water discharge into the creek were also flagged.

Ennore resident R.L. Srinivasan said dredging to address the infestation of the invasive mussel, locally known as kaaka azhi, remains incomplete across at least half the identified micro-plan area.

The work has damaged fishing grounds and the dredged material continues to be dumped along the river, contrary to a National Green Tribunal direction, he added.

The report also highlights gaps in healthcare infrastructure. Though the Kathivakkam Primary Health Centre has been upgraded, its 10 beds remain unused for inpatient care and the centre operates only for half a day. The lack of maternity services forces pregnant women to travel to Tiruvottiyur, including during emergencies.

Kaatukuppam resident Subashini said the office of the Manali Ennore Restoration and Rejuvenation Company must be established within the area to enable prompt inspections and action during pollution incidents.

She also urged the government to complete work on the fisheries market and community hall, saying traders, particularly fisherwomen, continued to sell their produce on roadsides.

S. Hariharan, a resident of Vallalar Nagar in Ennore, said successive governments had failed to address industrial pollution and its impact on local livelihoods. “Humans are supposed to inhale oxygen, but we have been breathing sulphur, ammonia, and other such harmful chemicals.”

Vishanth, a resident, said, “Development is pursued at the expense of our growth, and corporations grow while we do not. This is the reality.”