CHENNAI: In 2015, when the Pulicat lake was flooded following heavy downpour, a boat met with an accident. “Four children fell off into the river as the boat capsized. Luckily, a few fishermen who were around jumped in and saved them,” recalls fisherman Durai Mahendran.
“How long will we live like this?” The government has proposed to build a bridge connecting the Pasiyavaram island to the mainland, but works are moving at a snail’s pace. “We urge the government to expedite it,” says Mahendran.
The Union Environment Ministry had granted the Coastal Zone Regulation clearance, but the work on the bridge that connects Pulicat main road to the island, had to be stopped due to the monsoon. “The Highways Department has commenced works on the bridge,” said Muthuswamy, District Revenue Officer of Tiruvallur.
Apart from the Nivar rainfall and water coming from the Arani river, filling the lake to the brim, there’s a looming threat at the Krishnapuram dam, which also has reached its full capacity. The islanders, most of whom are fishermen, do not have the resources to stock up food and supplies.
The island has five villages — Sathankuppam, Edamani, Edamani Colony, Rahmat Nagar and Pasiyavaram — with an estimated population of over 18,000 people. It has two primary schools, a temple and a few pucca roads that the islanders use to commute to the nearby Pulicat town, but no hospitals. When Express visited the island on Thursday, water was flowing onto the roads.
The vehicles were crossing the road cautiously and people were seen stocking-up on essentials, as the road is most likely to be submerged in a day or two, cutting-off access to the mainland. The flood waters did not drain fast enough from the narrow Pulicat bar mouth. On the anticipated flood situation, the official said that a flood warning was sounded in several villages along the riverside.
“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 has been strengthened and so far, there is no real danger. We have also kept evacuation plans and multi-hazard relief centres ready to accommodate over 3,000 people, if a need arises.”
Kattur, another area in the island has several irrigation tanks and almost all are full to the brim. D Jagannathan, Commissioner of Disaster Management, said the situation was being closely monitored.