CHENNAI: Around 10 acres of the Pallikaranai marshland, that received the coveted title of a Ramsar Site in 2022, have become the dumping ground for tonnes of rubble and construction debris in the last couple of weeks. The laying of a 40-feet gravel road and construction of houses in patches is impinging upon the ecological balance of the wetland, which boasts of a multitude of bird and wildlife species.
Of the total 1,247.54 hectares falling under the Ramsar Site, only 698 hectares are protected and maintained by the forest department. As per the Ramsar Convention, no part of the wetland is supposed to be used for other purposes.
TNIE visited the area earlier this week and saw several lorries bringing in and dumping debris on the wetland, already inhabited by birds. K Geethanjali, Conservator of Forests (Chennai Circle), told TNIE, “Though the area belongs to private parties, the original status of the land is that of a water body and thus, no landfilling is allowed. There is an order from the National Green Tribunal regarding the same.”
Locals claim that the area in question is located in Pallikaranai village and spans 36 acres. As per documents from 1966, this area is known by the names Periyamutharamman Nagar and Beula Nagar. “There are over 200 patta holders.
The perennial water in the marshland is the discharge from Perungudi sewage treatment plant. There is no place for the water to drain due to the Perungudi dumpyard,” said R Kumar, who has patta to a piece of land here and is president of Periyamutharamman and Beula Nagar Welfare Association.
‘Will begin notifying lands outside protected area, give legal aid’
Kumar added that they had petitioned to the city corporation multiple times but to no avail. Geethanjali said the water-logging has prevented demarcation of boundaries by the revenue department. “I have instructed the district forest officer to inform corporation officials and tahsildar and stop further dumping. We also have high court orders that undeveloped lands in Pallikaranai are to be handed over to the forest department,” the officer said.
Conversion of wetland into plots is prohibited on a Ramsar Site and as per the Wetland Rules, 2017, Deepak Srivastava, member secretary, TN State Wetlands Authority said. “I will send a team to inspect the area and ensure further dumping is stalled. For Pallikaranai Ramsar Site, an integrated management plan is being prepared and we will begin the process of notifying lands, falling outside the protected area, and give them legal protection shortly.”
A committee appointed by the Madras High Court in 2008 submitted that non-westland use should not be permitted in the patta lands in north-east Pallikaranai and any construction, including of residences or residential complexes, discouraged. The report specifically refers to some of the survey numbers in which dumping is being done now.
In 2021, the Madras HC ordered authorities to identify and cancel pattas obtained illegally and prohibited any sort of non-forestry activity in the Pallikaranai marsh. Jayashree Vencatesan, managing trustee of Care Earth, noted that the wetland has been reduced to one-tenth of its original size. This is the result of an attitude that stems from the lack of understanding about the importance of a marshland in an urban environment, she said.
“Earlier, the state revenue records classified the marshland as a ‘wasteland’. So, the government allowed reclamation of large parts of the marsh area. It is important for the government to acquire such unused areas and hand them over to the forest department to improve its ecological characteristics,” she added. The area is adjacent to the Pallikaranai reserve forest and is a favourite among bird-watchers. On March 11, three naturalists from Palluyir trust visited the area for birding.
“This part of the wetland was teeming with birds given its distance from city’s noise. We saw over 500 Blackwinged Stilts, 200 Terns and many migratory birds like the Yellow Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Little Stints, migratory subspecies of the Peregrine Falcon, Green Sandpiper, and Wood sandpiper, among others. Near threatened species like Painted Storks, Grey Pelicans, and Eurasian Spoonbills were also present in good numbers. But it is disheartening to see that it is filling up with construction debris,” said M Yuvan, a birder and nature educationist.
HC barred non-forest activity in ’21
In 2021, the Madras HC ordered authorities to identify and cancel pattas obtained illegally and prohibited any sort of non-forest activity in Pallikaranai marshland
Birds that visit the marshland
Blackwinged Stilts, Terns, Yellow Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail, Little Stints, and migratory subspecies of the Peregrine Falcon