Great news about the restoration of the remaining 700 hectares of Pallikaranai marshland!!
The residents belonging to Pallikaranai and Chennai have now got a reason to rejoice!!
Pallikaranai marshland that has been neglected for many decades might get restored and conserved by the Forest Dept of TN. It is known that the forest dept could restore just 698 hectares of marshland and the rest 5500 hectares were lost due to rapid unplanned urbanisation and garbage dumping etc.
The department document has mentioned that the restoration and conservation of the Pallikaranai marshland would be taken up under TN- SHORE OR Tamil Nadu- Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resources and Blue Economy and funds would be provided by World Bank.
Information is that the dept would clear the Perumbakkam channel of debris, solid waste and other impediments to allow the flood water to enter the marshland. This would improve water management in the marshland in addition to enhancing soil stability. It is now said that the Veerangal odai and Ottiyambakkam channel that feed the marsh would be cleared.
The document threw light on how the Pallikaranai marsh drains an area of 250sqkm of south Chennai encompassing 65 wetlands through 2 outlets like Okkiyam Madavu and Kovalam Creek etc and drains in Bay of Bengal. It must not be forgotten that in the past the wetland had water all throughout the year, due to many impediments part of the wetland would become dry during summers.
Now, a few areas in the marshland lack vegetation and water stagnation etc due to dryness and change in the elevation profile. Not only feeding channels would be cleared but also the forest dept would clear aquatic weeds and invasive species etc like water hyacinth etc. Controlling the growth of water hyacinth is needed or else it would cover the entire water spread area. This would affect the water flow and sunlight would be blocked from reaching the native aquatic plants.
It is shocking to note that 10percrent of total 698 hectares under administrative control of the forest dept is encroached by invasive alien Prosopis Juliflora. It is now brought out that the forest dept would construct bunds along the boundaries and form walk paths along the bund.
