Corporation plans campaign to create awareness on accumulation of garbage along Adyar creek

The Greater Chennai Corporation and various line agencies have planned to implement projects to prevent pollution in unique ecosystems such as Adyar creek that support a wide variety of flora and fauna.

The Greater Chennai Corporation and various line agencies have planned to implement projects to prevent pollution in unique ecosystems such as Adyar creek that support a wide variety of flora and fauna. Piles of solid waste were found in many parts of the Adyar creek on Tuesday.

A meeting was held to propose new projects for prevention of pollution of Adyar creek recently. Officials inspected the area ahead of the launch of civic work to prevent pollution in the creek.

“Waste has piled up along a stretch covering 650 metres of the creek. After clearing it a few days ago, a similar quantity of waste has piled up now. We will conduct a sensitisation programme for residents. We will study the impact of high tide and low tide on the waste accumulation in the creek. Huge quantities of waste dumped by residents upstream in various parts of the city along the Adyar, Buckingham Canal, Mambalam Canal and Nandanam have been polluting the creek because of tidal action,” said an official.

“During rain, there is more garbage accumulation along the creek. We are yet to get details about the findings of the impact of plastic pollution in the creek. The number of species has increased after eco restoration on 358 acres of the creek,” said an official.

S. Mangala Raj, former councillor, said the door-to-door collection from residents should be strengthened along the unique ecosystems such as the Adyar creek.

Residents said they did not have adequate bins along the streets near the creek. As a result, some residents dumped waste along the creek. Three boom barriers have been provided across the Adyar to prevent waste from moving downstream. But boom barriers have not been provided beyond Kotturpuram bridge as the river is wide between the river mouth and the Kotturpuram bridge. Buckingham Canal carries huge quantities of waste to the Adyar and many residents from areas such as Chepauk, Triplicane and Mylapore had been dumping waste along the Buckingham Canal.

The Corporation is planning to launch a campaign among residents of wards located along the Buckingham Canal to prevent dumping of waste in the waterway.