Walking through north Chennai’s ecological heritage marred by neglect and industrial pollution

Manali and Ennore, where industrialisation has drastically altered the landscape, was one of the spots covered under the tour.
| Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

Heritage walks are plentiful in Chennai each August as it celebrates Madras Day with fanfare. Recently, the Chennai Climate Action Group (CCAG) and Reach the Unreached, voluntary forums that focus on environmental and livelihood issues, offered a different perspective with their eco-heritage tour of north Chennai.

The tour highlighted the region’s wetlands, emphasising their crucial role in local ecology and their significance in the city’s heritage alongside its temples and monuments. Led by J. Prasanth, S. Vishvaja, Lokeshwaran E.S., and Joel Shelton, the tour began amid the salty air of Nochikuppam, where the challenges faced by the local fishermen were discussed. Threatened by ‘beautification’ projects, Mr. Prasanth said, fishers were essential custodians of these shores, which were integral to their heritage and daily lives.

The next stop was Lock Nagar by the Buckingham Canal, a key waterway during the colonial era now reduced to a sewage stream. Mr. Shelton addressed the struggles of the 80-odd families resisting displacement and offered a critique of the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board’s inadequate rehabilitation efforts.

The group of nearly 20 then travelled further north to the Kodungaiyur dump yard. Ms. Vishvaja discussed the harmful effects of smoke from the incinerator and said the proposed ₹1,026-crore 21 MW waste-to-energy plant would not be justified for waste management and pollution control.

Finally, the tour reached Manali and Ennore, where industrialisation has drastically altered the landscape. Mr. Lokeshwaran said the area’s groundwater was heavily contaminated by industrial effluents, and fly ash and coolant water from the thermal plants have damaged the Kosasthalaiyar. The environmental degradation here is a dramatic shift from the area’s former natural heritage, he added.

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