Various gated communities from localities, including Navalur, Kelambakkam, Padur and Egattur, have formed a campaign team to raise awareness among the residents about the pollution of the Muttukadu backwaters.
Muttukadu backwaters is part of the 105-km long south Buckingham Canal that runs between Kotturpuram and Marakkanam. Of this, the stretch along Rajiv Gandhi Salai has been affected after the areas en route have been heavily urbanised over the past two decades. Like many other waterways, the backwaters has also become vulnerable to dumping of raw sewage and waste generated in areas falling under local bodies.
The campaign team is working with government agencies to restore the degraded backwaters and implement practices like waste segregation. Most of the local bodies do not have proper solid waste management practices or sewer networks, they said.
Cycling trip
Residents noted that a group of volunteers at Hiranandani Upscale went on a cycling trip to the twin lakes in Siruseri, that were recently restored by Joss Brooks’ Ptichandikulam Forest Consultants with funding from TCS. Jose Manavalan, one of the team members and a resident of Egattur, said the lakes’ restoration, which was part of the Siruseri watershed, was part of the larger plan to improve the drainage into the Muttukadu backwaters.
“We are also creating awareness about desilting the four channels between the lakes and backwaters to reduce flooding during the monsoon. The depth of the backwaters has considerably reduced from its earlier depth of 30 feet,” he said.
The team has organised nature walks, tree planting drives and cycling trips, and also encouraged schoolchildren to do projects on backwaters as part of its awareness campaigns. “Children have been involved in clean-up drives along Muttukadu during the weekends in the past. We provide inputs to the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust on the significance of restoring the backwaters and measures that need to be taken,” he said.
Residents want government agencies to initiate steps to revive fishing, create a vibrant space with a biodiversity park and introduce water sports.
