Twin harbours: NGT panel visits Kaliveli estuary, finds many active turtle nests
CHENNAI: The three-member joint committee, constituted by the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), visited Kaliveli estuary on Tuesday to study the likely impact of twin fishing harbours on the contiguous newly declared Kaliveli bird sanctuary and Olive Ridley turtle nesting.
The inspection lasted for close to five hours, wherein the committee members found multiple active turtle nests, a hatched nest, and turtle tracks, which establishes that the coastal areas around Alamparaikuppam and Azhagankuppam witness dense nesting.
As per official data available with the State forest department, there are 59 live nests in Alamparaikuppam and Thendumariamman Alamparai coasts alone in Chengalpattu and another 53 nests between Azhagankuppam and Vasavankuppam in Villupuram. All these turtle nesting areas will be directly impacted by the construction of fishing harbours.
Prem Kumar, a volunteer and local fishermen, pinpointed the turtle tracks and a live nest, located exactly in the area where fisheries department proposed to construct the groynes and cut open the sandbar to create a navigation channel for the fishing vessels to enter the estuary.
The committee comprised S Sasikumar, Deputy Inspector General Forests (Central) from the regional office of Union environment ministry; Mita Banerjee, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF); and a scientist from National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).
An official, who was there during the inspection, told TNIE the committee took note of all the flora and fauna observed at the project sites. “There were several migratory bird species like brown headed gulls, caspian terns, whiskered terns, etc., on the proposed Alamparai fishing harbour site. There were also mud flats, and mangrove vegetation.”
Nesting turtle at Alamparikuppam, where fishing harbour will be constructed.
Fifty-year-old D Revathi from Muttukadu village, told TNIE: “We saw some officials inspecting the area but didn’t get to speak with them. I really hope the fishing harbour project is dropped.” Revathi drives to Kaliveli backwaters everyday and spends nearly eight hours in neck deep water hand-picking and shucking oysters, clams, and mussels. This is her daily routine for the last 30 years ever since she lost her husband. There are hundreds of women like her whose livelihood depend on the rich oyster beds that are now under threat due to the harbour project.