Chennai, Aug 3:
PMK President and Rajya Sabha MP Anbumani Ramadoss on Sunday urged the ruling TVK to shelve the Mammallan reservoir project and safeguard the livelihood of the fishing community and also protect the environment.
In a statement here, he said reports that the Tamil Nadu government has decided not to abandon the Mamallan Project–initiated during the previous DMK regime as an additional source of drinking water for Chennai city–which could cause irreversible damage to the environment and threaten the livelihoods of 5,000 fishing families living along Chennai’s East Coast, are deeply shocking.
It was condemnable that the government, which came to power after assuring the people that this anti-fisherfolk project would be scrapped, was now backtracking on that promise.
The foundation stone for the Mamallan Reservoir was laid on January 19 by former Chief Miniser M K Stalin over an area of 5,161 acres, at a cost of 342.60 crore, to serve as Chennai’s sixth drinking water source. It was located at Kovalam sub-basin area between Tiruporur and Thirukazhukundram along ECR and OMR with a total storage capacity of 1.65 tmcft, reaching an annual capacity of 2.25 tmcft when filled multiple times, supplying 170 million liters daily. It was expected to benefit nearly 13 lakh residents in fast-developing southern suburbs like Sholinganallur, Medavakkam, and Pallikaranai. Surplus water from 69 upstream tanks would be stored in the reservoir instead of letting them drain into the sea and prevents seawater intrusion, and restore a 15-to-18 km stretch of the Buckingham Canal while protecting local fishing rights.
Dr Anbumani, also a former Union Minsiter said, when the stone was laid for it, the PMK stoutly opposed the project, citing the severe consequences it would have on the livelihoods of fisherfolk and on the environment.
During the Assembly election campaigns in constituencies such as Sholinganallur and Thiruporur, TVK also opposed the project. Chief Minister Vijay while campaigning had assured the people that no project harmful to the environment would be implemented. Based on that assurance, the fishing communities living around Kovalam firmly believed that the Mamallan Reservoir Project would be abandoned.
However, even after three months of the TVK government assuming office, there has been no official announcement regarding the cancellation of the project. On the contrary, reports indicate that preparations are underway to proceed with its construction. This has left the fishing community deeply disappointed and anxious about their future, the PMK leader said.
The proposed site for the Mamallan Reservoir is a natural wonder. It is here that seawater and freshwater converge, creating a unique ecosystem where rare species of crabs, prawns, and fish breed. Moreover, the wetlands in this region attract hundreds and thousands of migratory birds from around the world because of their distinctive ecological characteristics. If this estuarine ecosystem is blocked off in the name of constructing a reservoir, its unique environmental balance will be destroyed, leading to the collapse of the region’s fisheries.