CHENNAI: Fish deaths, untreated sewage and continued industrial pollution have exposed major gaps in the restoration of Ennore Creek and the Manali industrial belt, according to a report released by the Save Ennore Creek Campaign in October 2026. The report card gave Tamil Nadu government 70 marks out of 395, highlighting slow implementation of restoration measures and continued violations affecting the ecologically sensitive region.
The report, named "Report Card on Tamil Nadu Government's Performance on Promised Improvement of Environmental, Health and Economic Status of the Ennore - Manali Region", evaluates the implementation of government promises and compliance with court and National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions.
The assessment, based on field visits, interactions with residents and fishers, government orders, official records and departmental updates, is the second evaluation of commitments made in January 2023. It is also the first assessment of the performance of the coalition government led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
One of the report's major concerns is the continued discharge of fly ash, hot water and industrial effluents into the Ennore Creek and adjoining waterways. Fine ash slurry continues to leak from ash ponds and pipelines, while ageing pipelines remain operational despite ongoing replacement work. A community assessment in August 2026 recorded hot water discharge into the creek at 40.8 degrees Celsius, exceeding the permissible temperature limit cited in the report.
Flagging the mass fish death on August 14 and 15, which it estimated at four to six tonnes, the report said that no official report establishing the cause of the fish kill or documenting the action taken had been made available. An RTI response dated September 25, 2026, was cited in support of its findings.
Wetland restoration remains another major area of concern. Although Ennore Creek has been listed as the 100th wetland under the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission, portions of the unutilised wetland within the 1996 Coastal Regulation Zone map boundary remain unprotected. The detailed project report for the creek's restoration was also yet to be released, nearly three years and nine months after the deadline specified in the NGT's 2022 order.
It further found that dredging and restoration work remained incomplete in several stretches of the Buckingham Canal and Kosasthalaiyar River. Fishers continue to face difficulties due to the infestation known locally as kaaka azhi (invasive Charu Mussel), which has affected fishing grounds. Dredging at heavily infested sites remains incomplete, while the campaign alleged that dredged material was being dumped along the river in violation of an NGT order.
The report said sewage management showed some improvement, awarding the category 46%, compared with 25% in the previous assessment. However, interception and diversion work had been completed at only four of eight identified sewage discharge points, according to information received under the RTI Act in May.
The report also highlighted the suspension of proposed projects, including a 68-shop fish market and a community hall, with uncertainty over whether the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority or the Greater Chennai Corporation would implement them. The construction of an Industrial Training Institute in Tiruvottiyur was also temporarily stalled due to funding constraints.
The report also noted the marginal improvement in the overall score had not translated into adequate action on the ground. It called for coordinated action across departments, compliance with legal obligations and greater public accountability to restore the region's environment, protect public health and revive fishing livelihoods.