CHENNAI: Tonnes of fish and other aquatic life were found dead and floating in the Kosasthalaiyar River near the Ennore estuary, with fishermen alleging that a heavily contaminated industrial discharge entered the waterway through the Buckingham Canal.
The fish deaths were reported from Saturday morning, with fishermen saying the dead fish had spread across nearly 6-7 km of the waterway, from the Buckingham Canal near Kattukuppam, past the North Chennai Thermal Power Station and towards the Kulikkam/Kulivakkam area.
R.L. Srinivasan, president of the Fishermen Co-operative Society, Ennore, said fish deaths linked to suspected industrial discharge had been occurring frequently, but the scale of the latest incident was much larger.
“This happens continuously, frequently. This time it is a bit more. Water mixed with chemicals is being released from the Manali side through a canal. It mixes with the backwaters and, during low tide, comes towards the sea,” he said.
Fishermen allege that such potent discharges are being made during the night to avoid detection. Fishermen have now launched road blockades in Ennore, demanding action over the recurring pollution of the waterbody.
Madhanagopal, a fisherman from Kattukuppam, said the latest fish kill was noticed at around 11 am on Saturday and had extended several kilometres. “This is due to fertiliser factories. Because it comes through the Buckingham Canal, the scale of the impact it creates to our livelihood is huge,” he said.
He said a range of fish and aquatic life had been found dead, including Madal, Thullal, Sankara, Koduva and Irunka fish, besides prawns and crabs.
“First it started with releasing the hot water decades ago. Now, they are sending all kinds of chemical water into the backwaters,” he said, referring to industrial facilities in the Manali-Ennore belt.
Fishermen say that such repeated pollution incidents had already severely affected their livelihood, with the community increasingly worried about how they would sustain themselves and educate their children and are now demanding immediate intervention to identify the source of the suspected discharge, prevent further contamination and establish what caused the latest mass fish deaths.