CHENNAI: The Nanmangalam reserve forest, one of Chennai’s last surviving green patches, is facing increased anthropogenic pressure. After the Chennai Metro Rail Limited, now it is the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) seeking a piece of the forest for a water pipeline.
Chennai Metro Water has filed an application seeking clearance under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for diverting about a hectare of the forest land for building underground water pipeline. The route alignment of the proposed pipeline passes along an existing road from TNHB colony main road, Sholinganallur to GST road, Pallavaram via Medavakkam main road at Nanmangalam reserve forest.
Metro Water officials say the water from the 150 MLD desalination plant will be distributed through a pipeline from Nemmeli plant to Pallavaram. Around 9 lakh people in Ullagaram, Puzhuthivakkam, Velachery, Madipakkam, Sholinganallur, St Thomas Mount, Medavakkam, Kovilambakkam, Nanmangalam, Keelkattalai, Moovarasampettai, and Pallavaram will benefit.
However, naturalists claim Nanmangalam forest had already lost significant parcels of land. Now, it spans around 320 hectares located along the Tambaram-Velachery road and is predominantly a scrub jungle. “Whatever remains should be left undisturbed. Recently, CMRL sought forest land diversion for building Metro Rail corridor under Phase-2 expansion. There has to be an end to such things,” said M Yuvan, a naturalist affiliated with Madras Naturalists Society.
Nanmangalam forest is home to over 120 species of birds and 400 plant species. The forest’s star attraction is the Great horned owl or Indian Eagle Owl. It is also the only site in city where this bird breeds. Official documents, available with TNIE, have no mention of the number of trees likely to be axed. The forest clearance application was filed by Metro Water on September 30. However, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Department) Ashok Upreti has returned the application due to certain shortcomings.
In the justification note and the declaration forms, J Logeshwaran, assistant executive engineer (desalination), Chennai Metro Water claimed laying of pipeline from intermediate pumping station in Sholinganallur to GST Road, Pallavaram at Nanmangalam reserve forest would require 0.2 hectares of forest land. “The pipeline will be laid along the existing state highways road. All other alternatives have been examined and found not feasible,” he said and added that the metro water agreed to deposit the cost of compensatory afforestation as fixed by the forest department.
