Government mulls deepening Pallikaranai

It has been reliably learnt from government sources that a proposal is under the consideration of state Water Resources Department (WRD) to increase the holding capacity of the marshland, a natural salt and fresh water balancer and maintained by the Forest department. The project comprises deepening the marshland in full or in part, so that the marshland could be restored to its original shape and simultaneously reduce flood damage on OMR, a prime area in the state capital.

A renowned environment think-tank based in the city is understood to have proposed the project, has been forwarded for government’s perusal by the WRD.

Should the government desilt the entire marshland to contain flooding on OMR, it could spell disaster for most of south Chennai, mainly the groundwater in the region, owing to sea water intrusion. Environmentalists are crying foul over the project which is at the stage of formulation. 

Convener of Save Pallikaranai Foundation, S Kumar Raja, who had fought for the marshland by approaching the NGT (National Green Tribunal –Southern bench) told DTNext that the marshland was a natural system of the Bay of Bengal which pushes sea water in to the marshland and receives fresh water from it once every six hours. “The government has allowed a lot of encroachments. Hence, they are planning to deepen the marshland to hold more water,” Kumar Raja alleged, suggesting that widening the marshland, instead of deepening it, would be a better idea. “If they go ahead, the natural sea and fresh water interface would be disturbed.

Sea water intrusion and stagnation would turn the ground water saline. It will be difficult to restore the balance thereafter,” he cautioned.

While Chief Engineer of Palar Basin, Murugasubramanian denied considering such a project, District Forest Officer, Chennai, S Ashokan said they have sent a proposal to the government to desilt the marshland, wherever the PWD had dumped debris, before handing it over to them. “The idea is to restore the marshland to its original depth, which ranges from one to two meter on an average,” the DFO added.

Size of the marshland