After years of submitting petitions seeking compensation and jobs, Ennore residents are demanding that the Ennore Creek and Buckingham Canal be restored.
Participating in a discussion with representatives of at least seven trade unions at Tiruvottiyur on Saturday, Selvarajan, a resident of Kattukuppam, said they were not against development but were against the environmental degradation caused by unmindful discharge of effluents.
“At a recent public hearing organised for the expansion of the Kamarajar port, its chairman explained that they would provide training in driving and tailoring for our people. But I want to know how many tailors and drivers can a village have,” he asked. Similarly, the port would dredge millions of tonnes of sand for the project and they have said it would be dumped some five nautical miles into the sea.
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“It would reduce depth in that area, lead to formation of an artificial sand bar there and kill the fish in that area. We are against that proposal,” he said.
M. Anandan of Kattukuppam, who is also spearheading protests against dumping of flyash into the creek and construction of additional coal conveyor belts to the various thermal power stations in the area, said residents were fed up of submitting petitions. “Over 10,000 families depend on the creek and Buckingham Canal for their livelihood and they are being choked to death slowly,” he said.
Arun Nedunchezhian, coordinator of The Public Forum for Water, which organised the programme along with Kumuga Thozhilalar Iyakkam, said it was a working class issue and not just a problem pertaining to Ennore Creek.
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A documentary by Dayalan on Ennore Creek detailing problems faced by the area, including sea erosion, filling up of Buckingham Canal, pumping of hot water into the creek and the loss of livelihood, was released on the occasion.