Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 22 (ANI): PMK President Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday alleged that the construction of a retaining wall and walkway in the Pallikaranai marshland had obstructed the flow of rainwater, leading to flooding in Pallikaranai and Jalladianpet, and demanded that the structures be demolished and an inquiry be ordered into the project.
In a statement, Ramadoss alleged that the Forest Department had proceeded with the ‘Neithal Restoration and Conservation Works’ despite repeated warnings from the PMK that the construction could cause flooding in the surrounding areas.
He said a 6-foot-high retaining wall had been constructed along a 3-km stretch of the marshland, along with a 2-km-long walkway on its inner side, allegedly obstructing the natural flow of rainwater into the wetland.
“As a result, rainwater from Pallikaranai and other parts of Chennai is unable to drain into the marshland, leading to waterlogging and flooding. In my statement issued on September 4, I had urged the government to abandon the project and demolish the structures already built to prevent such damage,” he said.
Ramadoss said Dr Sowmiya Anbumani, president of Pasumai Thaayagam, inspected the site on September 6, while he personally visited the area on September 12. According to him, both visits were followed by warnings about the potential consequences of the construction.
He further claimed that a Forest Department official had told him during his inspection that large pipes installed beneath the retaining wall and walkway would allow rainwater to drain easily. The current waterlogging, he said, had raised questions about that explanation.
Referring to the rainfall on October 17, Ramadoss said some parts of Chennai had received more than 30 cm of rain, with accumulated water draining away within hours in those areas. However, he alleged that water remained stagnant in Pallikaranai and Jalladianpet, where the Forest Department had been using machinery to pump it into the marshland.
Warning of possible flooding if heavy rainfall continued during the northeast monsoon, he said the government should assess the risk to areas such as Velachery and Perumbakkam.
Ramadoss also questioned what he described as a contradiction between the government's promotion of rainwater harvesting and the alleged obstruction of a natural rainwater storage system in the Pallikaranai marshland.
He said the project had been conceived during the previous DMK government and questioned why it continued under the present TVK government despite public opposition.
Describing the marshland as a natural resource that needed protection, Ramadoss demanded that construction of the retaining wall and walkway be stopped and the structures already built be removed.
He also called for an inquiry into the reasons behind the project's conception and implementation, and sought identification of the officials responsible for initiating and executing it. (ANI)
Pallikaranai wetland retaining wall causing flooding, demolish structures and order probe: PMK chief Anbumani Ramadoss
