Wetlands

South Chennai

Management plan

The management plan is bound to attain a high ground of Ecological restoration initiatives. Ecological restoration is the process of returning polluted or otherwise disturbed ecosystems to a close approximation of their condition prior to contamination. Restoration is a broad term that encompasses a number of interrelated activities, including the reconstruction of antecedent physical conditions, chemical adjustment of the soil and water, and biological manipulation, which includes the reintroduction of native flora and fauna. Nature is a treasure and has to be safe guarded.  the natural and scenic beauty of the South Chennai wetlands has to be preserved.  Instead they are being burned in the name of urban sprawl.  Wetlands are self restorable when they are left undisturbed.  But where much human disturbances are accounted, there has to be a management plan.  The following are some guidelines for a better management of these wetlands.The location of the Perungudi Sewage Treatment plant should be shifted within a period of three to five years.  Till then the STP should function on a limited basis with partial Electrical supply restored and treatment at a feasible level undertaken.  No direct discharges are to be made into the wetland region in the name of natural treatment.  A Sanitary Landfill based on the lines as shown in the Diagram should be implemented at the earliest. Periodic Water Quality initiatives have to be taken up as well as Air and Quality control exercises in the environs of the region.  The Construction of the MRTS should confirm to the International Standards of Construction in Wetlands and Bio-diversity regions, as set by the Ramsar convention.   The Radial road that has been constructed in the region should have a median constructed on either sides of the road, as this will save the wetlands from surface contamination.   Illegal encroachers should be evicted and fined. No construction should be allowed in the region. Avian Ecologists from the noted Ornithology centres such as the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) should be in charge to study the faunal character of the region.  A field station of the Zoological Survey of India and the Botanical Survey of India should be stationed here. The possibility of a reservoir should be made a reality as this will help in the preservation of the wetlands. The ultimate goal is to get a wetland status for these endangered marshes and bring awareness to the people of how important it is for a vast growing city like Chennai. But certain developments here cannot be relocated or just demolished.  So there has to be an alternative assessment that suggests a acceptable sustainable change.

Limits of Acceptable change.

The concept of "limits of acceptable change" is a useful tool, widely used to identify and set limits within which change may be tolerated. It may be applied to the long-term or operational objectives. (Examples for wetlands might be maximum or minimum water levels, or maximum or minimum extent of vegetation). Once these limits are exceeded there will be a need for immediate remedial action. The limits of acceptable change must take account of sustainable yield of natural products, so that harvest rates or fish catches may be determined. Monitoring is implicit and of the greatest importance. The present study is limited to demonstrate the state of the South Chennai Wetlands that are in a state of neglect. The study is a step in the direction of the management of the wetland in the region. Thus the ‘Limits of Acceptable change’ cannot be corroborated at this juncture at a very detailed level. It will surmise to say that the level of the water has to be kept at a minimum of 7 to 8 feet at all times of the year and that the quality of Water (both Surface and Ground) should also be maintained within the acceptable limits.

Conclusion

It is clear that the wetlands, the ecological havens of Bio-diversity, are being destroyed due to the rampant human encroachment and the solid waste disposal. The environs are today in the vicious circle of False Development where the concern for the mute faunal and floral players in the food web has been relegated to oblivion. The locals are oblivious of the importance of the wetlands. It is foolish to underestimate the wrath of Mother Nature as man has learnt time and again. This is the message that the study aims to deliver. The study has incorporated a detailed management plan that is global in thought but local in acts.  It is the fervent prayer of the authors that the authorities wake up to the need to save the wetlands and understand that nature and development have to go hand in hand. The study with its methodology can be an effective premise for anyone whose is interested to know and work for the South Chennai Wetlands. In the age of E-Governance and Globalization, wetlands too need their share of print to enlighten the masses about the importance of the wetlands. What is needed now is not studies that explain these aspects, but constructive frameworks that work in the real world.

Save the Wetlands

References & Acknowledgements