CHENNAI: Despite opposition and prima facie evidence of potential environmental hazards, an Expert Appraisal Committee of the Union Environmental Ministry has granted Terms of Reference (ToR) for Adani Kattupalli Port expansion, which involves reclamation of large tracts of wetlands and waterbodies.
Marine Infrastructure Developer Pvt Ltd (MIDPL), a vertical of Adani Ports, is executing the revised master plan development of Kattupalli Port in a total area of 2,472.85 hectares which includes 133.50 ha of existing area, 761.8 ha of government land, 781.4 ha of private and proposed sea reclamation of 796.15 ha.
The EAC, while accepting the site-inspection report of sub-committee that was mandated to look into several allegations made against port expansion, has set 39 terms of reference for preparing draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), which shall be submitted to TNPCB for conducing public hearing.
In its report, the sub-committee noted that Pulicat system in the north of Kattupalli port, Ennore creek in the south and Buckingham canal on the west have been designated as ecologically sensitive areas and placed under CRZ-1 (critical for maintaining ecosystem of coast).
Detailed study needed
“Ennore shoals are formed at this place and they extend up to Pulicat. The coastal area near Pulicat is very flat and has vast expanse of backwater and saltpans,” observed the committee while recommending a detailed study to be done on the project impact
“Extensive shallows (Ennore shoals) are formed at this place and they extend up to Pulicat. The coastal area near Pulicat is very flat and has vast expanse of backwater including saltpans. It has been hypothesized that shoals might have formed due to interaction of northerly coastal currents and sediment supply through Ennore creek (Kosattalaiyar river) when it was active,” the committee said and recommended for a detailed study on impact of the port expansion on Ennore shoals that were protecting the coast from cyclone and tsunami.
The sub-committee had also recorded and endorsed the concerns of local people, with regard to protection of the Kosasthalaiyar estuarine wetland ecology with its brackish water channels, salt pans, mud flats, mangroves, sand dunes, palmyra stands and endemic flora and fauna, running parallel to the coast and linking Ennore creek, Karungali estuary and Pulicat Lake. It is critical to the effective drainage of the massive volumes of flood waters received from inland and the dissipation of the storm surge energy from the ocean. This naturally evolved earth system is crucial in maintaining fresh water recharge and countering saltwater intrusion.
Environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman of ‘Save Ennore Creek Campaign’ told Express: “Sub-committee findings complements what we have been emphasising. Adani port would be catastrophic for Chennai in terms of flood mitigation and sea water intrusion.”
