CHENNAI: As part of ECR expansion under Bharatmala project, NHAI is carrying out a major bridge work inside Odiyur lake, for which tonnes of debris and earthen material are being dumped in the waterbody.
While NHAI officials say all necessary clearances have been obtained, environmentalists demand protection for Odiyur lake from future land diversion as it is a biodiversity hotspot and attracts close to one lakh migratory birds annually. They say Odiyur is as important as Point Calimere and Vedanthangal bird sanctuaries. There is an existing two-lane bridge across Odiyur lake connecting Paramenkeni and Mudaliyarkuppam village. The approaches to the bridge are on an ‘S’ curve. NHAI officials say it was building the new bridge of 490 m length to improve the geometrics, keeping road users’ safety in mind and to meet the design speed requirements of 100 km/hr.
Recently, an application was filed before the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) by fishermen activist K Saravanan objecting to NHAI dumping large quantum of debris into the wetland saying the activity was contempt of court as there is a standing order, preventing NHAI from infringing within the lake area.
However, NHAI filed an affidavit saying there was no contempt of court. “Construction of bridges was permitted and regulated in CRZ areas. The bridge project is proposed in two stages for half width of Odiyur lake instead of entire width at single stage to ensure free flow of natural tidal water. The earthen material being used for construction of cofferdam will be removed within a month after completion of major bridge construction as specified by union environment ministry in the CRZ clearance,” a senior NHAI official says.
TNIE visited the spot and found that slightly more than half the width of the lake was filled-up for the bridge work, but the tidal flow is maintained.
Environmentalists say the site where the construction is happening is an intertidal area, which is an important foraging ground for birds. Come migratory season starting September, the construction work will have an adverse impact on bird life.
Yuvan Aves, managing trustee, Palluyir Trust for Nature Education and Research, says Odiyur lagoon satisfies all criteria to be declared a bird sanctuary and Ramsar site. “It is pathetic to see such a crucial wetland be abused. Over 200 species of birds are recorded here, about 65 of them migratory and protected under the Bonn convention. Migratory bird numbers during winter are anywhere between 40,000 and 100,000 in numbers, exceeding the populations of most bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the last remaining functional wetlands along the Central Asian Flyway. Unless it is given a high form of protection under the Wildlife Protection Act, as a bird sanctuary, it will constantly be under threat and abuse. The lagoon is also in vast swathes covered in seagrass and biologically active mudflats which attract birds. It also drains floodwater of a large part of coastal Chengalpet, making it a crucial climate buffer,” Aves says, wondering how Tamil Nadu’s Wetland Mission and Climate Mission failed to protect one of the state’s most crucial wetlands.
TD Babu, marine biotechnologist, says Odiyur lake is the feeding ground for birds and migratory aquatic animals. Migratory birds visit only during season, whereas many local birds and aquatic animals come for their daily feed and seasonal breeding and spawning through tidal influence. “Benthic fauna plays a vital role in such tidal influenced lakes. Dumping of debris will have an adverse impact on the lake ecosystem in whole and the feeding and breeding of the aquatic species,” he adds.