Chennai: Unanimous protests by local fishermen and environmental activists to save the Ennore wetlands turned victorious. Kamarajar Port, which was proposed to convert the rich wetlands into a real estate, is now taking steps towards restoration as they have floated a tender of Rs 1.36 crore to remove the dredge sand dumped on the saltpans. Port officials have also promised to develop environmental friendly practices like mangrove plantation and fish culture after restoration.
Welcoming the move, R.L. Srinivasan, a fisherman said, “Ennore fishermen would be grateful to the port authorities for their willingness to spend a hefty amount on the cause. I thank Tiruvallur Collector and officials from disaster management who supported our agitations.” Surrounding the Ennore Creek, salt pans were once a livelihood for a major section of people, who collect the water from the wetland by making square shaped walls.
“Once the water is evaporated, salt is formed. The whole procedure would take 15 days. We splash some salt water to remove the sand on the salt formed,” said Sugandan, who was into salt making. With the creek becoming unfit for salt pans, following the dumping of dredge sand by port authorities and after the government order to stop salt making, many people like Sugandan migrated to other wet lands in Thootukudi and Nagapattinam.
Saltpans are protected wetlands under Coastal Regulation Zone Notification and the National Wetland Rules, 2010. KPL is in possession of 637.7 acres of saltpan lands that was transferred from the Central Salt Department in March 2015. “The real challenge now is overseeing the removal of the dumped material, and ensuring that it is disposed of properly,” said Pooja Kumar of Coastal Resource Centre. The fisher coalition has requested the district administration to constitute a committee with local participation to oversee remediation of the creek.
