CHENNAI: Environment and Climate Change Minister V K Rajeev on Friday said sewage from nearby areas, and not toxic industrial effluents, was responsible for the pollution that preceded the mass deaths of fish in the Kosasthalaiyar river and Ennore estuary.
Fishers, however, rejected the government’s explanation and accused it of shielding industries.
Replying to a calling attention motion moved by AIADMK floor leader Edappadi K Palaniswami in the Assembly, Rajeev said the government has constituted a four-member expert committee to investigate the incident and submit a detailed report within 10 days.
“Officials from the fisheries department and the TNPCB have collected water and dead fish samples, and sent them for laboratory analysis,” the minister said, adding that 2,150 kg of dead fish were removed from the Ennore waterbody.
He said field inspections at five locations found dissolved oxygen levels had fallen to 2 mg/litre at two places, against the required level of above 4 mg/litre. He said officials had not detected oil or toxic chemical sheens and that the preliminary assessment pointed to organic loading and sewage as cause of oxygen depletion.
PMK MLA A Ganesh Kumar alleged that industrial units in North Chennai had been repeatedly discharging effluents into Kosasthalaiyar and urged the government not to rule out industrial pollution before the inquiry was completed. Former minister Thangam Thennarasu described the Kosasthalaiyar-Ennore creek as ecologically sensitive and called for measures to curb pollution.
Fishermen TNIE spoke to said minister Rajeev’s statement had failed to address their concerns over recurring pollution and loss of livelihood.
K Bharathi, president, South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, also rejected the government’s preliminary explanation. RL Srinivasan, a fisher from Kattukuppam, said sewage enters the river daily. “The minister spoke about the issue very casually and did not take the livelihood concerns of fishers seriously,” he said.
Srinivasan said representatives of eight fishing villages had submitted a complaint to the Ennore M-5 police. The affected fishers have convened a meeting and will decide the future course of action, he added.