Restoration of the creek was earlier taken up by the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust and the Water Resources Department in 2021. Photo: File
| Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM
As part of the Tamil Nadu Coastal Restoration Mission, Ennore Creek in north Chennai will be restored at a cost of ₹40 crore.
The eco-sensitive Ennore Wetlands has been under severe environmental stress due to effluents from industries, with the recent oil spill being one of the instances, and State-owned power plants. As per a 2016 study published in the Indian Journal of Science and Technology, high levels of heavy metals, such as lead, zinc, and cadmium, were found in the mangrove ecosystem at Ennore.
A Government Order (G.O.) issued by Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary to Environment, Climate Change, and Forests Department, on Wednesday, January 10, said ₹40 crore had been allocated for the restoration of Ennore Creek. Notably, in July 2022, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the State to notify the full extent of the last remaining portions of Ennore wetlands under the Tamil Nadu Wetland Mission to protect it from further encumbrances.
Restoration of the creek was earlier taken up by the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) and the Water Resources Department (WRD) in 2021. The project was planned to be implemented at a cost of ₹189 crore. Recently, the WRD was in the process of building a training wall at the mouth of Ennore Creek to prevent sedimentation and promote quicker tidal exchange.