With Arani river in spate, residents of island in Pulicat lake fear being cut off

The State Highways Department has commenced work on a bridge connecting Pulicat main road to Pasiyavaram island. But the work had to be stopped due to the monsoon.
The road leading to Pasiyavaram island in Pulicat is nearly flooded (Photo | Express)
The road leading to Pasiyavaram island in Pulicat is nearly flooded (Photo | Express)

CHENNAI: With the Arani river in spate, residents of Pasiyavaram island in Pulicat lake are fearing losing connectivity with the mainland.

The water level in Pulicat lake is constantly rising with flood waters from the Arani river gushing into it. There is a thin strip of cement road, which the islanders use for daily commutes to reach nearby Pulicat town for all their needs be it trade or hospital visits.  

When The New Indian Express visited the island on Thursday evening, water was flowing over the road. The island has five villages - Sathankuppam, Edamani, Edamani Colony, Rahmat Nagar and Pasiyavaram - falling in two panchayat limits with an estimated population of over 18,000, mostly fishermen. It has two primary schools, a temple and pucca roads, but no hospital.

The vehicles were crossing cautiously and stocking up on essentials as the road is most likely to get flooded in a day or two, cutting off access. In fact, the road and parts of the island were marooned under three feet of water for about four days earlier this week due to heavy downpours triggered by Cyclone Nivar. Also, because of the rough sea and storm surge, the flood waters did not drain from the narrow Pulicat bar mouth quickly enough. Now, the flood waters flowing in from Arani river will aggravate the situation.

Durai Mahendran, fishermen leader and resident of Pasiyavaram, said there were instances in the past when pregnant woman and school children died after boats capsized while attempting to cross the lake in flood waters during the monsoon. "In 2015, four school children got injured when the boat capsized. Fortunately, they were pulled out of water by fishermen," he said and urged the government to expedite the proposed bridge project.  

Muthuswamy, District Revenue Officer, Tiruvallur, told Express that the State Highways Department has commenced work on a bridge, which connects Pulicat main road to Pasiyavaram island providing a permanent and safe commute. The Union Environment Ministry had granted Coastal Zone Regulation (CRZ) clearance, but the work had to be stopped due to the monsoon.

On the flood situation in Arani river, the official said a flood warning has been sounded in several villages along the banks. "In 2015, there was flooding in the area after a couple of breaches in Reddipalayam and Perumedukuppam, where the river takes a curve and the bund was weak. This time around, the bund was strengthened. So far, there is no real danger. We have also kept evacuation plans and multi-hazard relief centres ready to accommodate 3,000 people, if the need arises."

Express visited the main river channels in Kattur and saw that the water levels are clearly rising. The area has several irrigation tanks and almost all of them are filled to the brim. Hundreds of acres of paddy are being cultivated here and any breach would flood the irrigated fields.

D Jagannathan, Commissioner of Disaster Management, said the situation is being closely monitored and the Tiruvallur district administration has been instructed to take all precautionary measures.  

The Andhra Pradesh government has opened the shutters of Arani dam in Pichatur releasing around 7,500 cusecs after torrential rains in the Eastern Ghats in Chitoor district. Authorities said Krishnapuram dam on Arani dam has also reached its full capacity.

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