The master plan for eco-restoration of the Adyar estuary is ready and work is expected to commence in a month.
IL&FS Ecosmart, consultant for eco-restoration of Adyar estuary, submitted the master plan to the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL) last week. Ecosmart has proposed three financial models ranging from Rs 23 crore to Rs 29 crore and the government is likely to approve one of the models by this weekend, TNUIFSL officials said.
The State government had set up Adyar Poonga Trust to ecologically restore the river, estuary, creek and the entire region and maintain it. The project was to be executed in two phases, first at the creek and then at the estuary. Eco-restoration of the Adyar creek was entrusted to M/s Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants for Rs 19.72 crore in 2008. Ecosmart bagged the award for restoring the estuary.
Ecosmart's eco-restoration will focus mainly on controlling pollution at source points where industrial effluents and waste water from low-lying areas contaminating the river and dredging for 1.5 km of the river initially for achieving channel depths and then at the river mouth for its sustained opening. The maintenance of channel integrity for flood evacuation and in-stream aeration for improving water quality to allow re-establishment of aquatic species are part of the plan, said Pavan Ballyparthy, manager (technical), IL&FS Ecosmart. The plan includes effective solid waste management and sanitation for slum dwellers living along the river banks.
Prominent open spaces will be developed into interactive areas to make the estuary eco-system people- friendly. Measures have been recommended to control access to the public, TNUIFSL officials said. While the Adyar Poonga project aims at recreating a lost tropical forest eco-system, the Adyar estuary eco-restoration looks to revive the river, one of the most important water bodies of the city.
