Ennore's fish catch down by 50 per cent

Chennai

Fisherfolk from six fishing hamlets near Ennore creek will hold a public hearing before a panel of experts on March 26 to reveal how the repeated encroachment and pollution of the waterbody has led to a decrease in the quality and quantity of the catch, by almost 50 to 70 per cent.

An increasing number of industries, including ports, thermal power plants, ship-building yards and fertiliser companies, have set up their units around Ennore creek. The waterbody, which serves as a channel connecting Kosasthalaiyar River and Pulicat Lake with the Bay of Bengal, is an important aquatic ecosystem. However, the industrial activities and encroachment have led to regular depletion of biodiversity in the region. The increasing pollution levels have affected the marine life, adversely affecting the livelihood of the fishing communities.

R. Srinivasan, president of Kattukuppam Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, said that with constant dumping of ash in the creek, the marine life has been hard hit in the region. “The catch has dropped by almost 50 to 70 per cent over the last few years. Often, we see dead fish floating in the water. The pipelines from the thermal plants are damaged, causing ash to leak into the waterbody. Almost 5-6 kilometres of the creek has hardly 12 inches of water, which makes it difficult for us to take out our boats. Earlier, the creek was a place where many varieties of fish and prawn could breed. But the plants, which use the water from the creek, release hot water back into the water body. Because of this, the quantity of fish has also come down,” he rued.

Serious health hazards

Venkatesh, who heads the Mugathwara Kuppam Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, said because of this pollution, their catch fetched less in the market. “After people read about this pollution in the news, the value of our catch has come down in the market, making it very difficult for us to make ends meet. Moreover, since we use the polluted water and also consume the fish, many people from the community are having skin problems as well as  food-related infections,” he added.

Rahul Muralidharan, a marine biologist, explained, “The estuary, which contains mangroves, due to a mix of fresh and salt water, acts as nursery grounds for small fish. When hot water is released back by the thermal plants, the fish will find another favourable place. The dumping of sludge also changes the flow pattern.”  

Violations affect local fishermen

Pooja Kumar, a researcher with the Coastal Resource Centre, has helped the community map the land and river usage in Ennore. “Kattukuppam and  Mugathwara Kuppam are the oldest fishing villages in Ennore. But large parts of the waterbody have been earmarked for industrial use, without any regard for the community. Furthermore, the encroachments, especially by the Kamaraj Port Trust, are a huge issue. Reclaiming the creek is a violation of the CRZ-1A rules,”  she said.

During the meeting, the fishing community will put forth their demands, which include immediate desilting of the creek, removal of encroachments and a proper scientific  assessment before permissions are given for expansion of thermal plants.

FISHERMEN’S  DEMAND:

Existing encroachments should be removed. Ash pipelines, which pass the Ennore creek, should be well-maintained to ensure there is no leakage of ash.

The creek should be dredged back to its original depth. Ash which has been deposited in the waterbody should be removed.

A moratorium on the expansion of industries in Ennore should be enforced. The expansion plans and permissions should only be approved after a scientific study, focusing on ecological, health and social impact.


IMPACT

Ash leakage and  routing of hot water into the creek by the thermal plants has caused 50 to 70 per cent drop in fishermen’s catch.

Ash contains heavy metals like mercury, boron and many other harmful substances, causing skin problems and other infections.

Reclamation of the creek is a violation.

Pollution leads to loss of biodiversity and fishermen’s livelihood