The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Final report on Adyar Poonga Project to be submitted

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Final report on Adyar Poonga Project to be submitted

Staff Reporter

Last public consultation held at university

Photo: N. Sridharan

CLEARING DOUBTS: K. Phanindra Reddy, member secretary of Adyar Poonga Trust, answering queries at the public consultation on Adyar Poonga Project in Chennai on Friday. —

Chennai: The last of the public consultations before the drawing up the final plan for the ambitious Adyar Poonga Project was held at Anna University here on Friday.

Discussions and public consultations to restore the ecology in Adyar by developing an eco-park in the Adyar creek and estuary has been on for the last five months, in which non-governmental organisations, technical experts and academicians have been voicing their views on various concerns related to the development.

According to Vijay Joshi, head-environmental consulting operations, IL&FS Ecosmart, the advisory firm preparing the master plan, the final draft will be presented to the Adyar Poonga Trust very soon.

“We have been carrying out various changes in the draft after consultation with various bodies, including the consultative committee appointed by the Madras High Court. In our final report we will be presenting the sequence of the work that can be carried out during the time frame of 24 months, required to complete all the projects,” said Mr. Joshi.

Though Friday’s discussion did not see any vociferous outburst from the audience, participants made sure they drove home their apprehensions.

Ram Kumar, an advocate, brought forth the point that the various aspects of the plan — diversion, opening of the estuary, to name a few — should be concurrently executed.

Construction of wetlands to prevent flooding in low-lying settlements, minimal dredging, re-introduction of aquatic species now found in the Ennore, Pulicat and Pichavaram coastal waterbodies and enhancing public interaction zones were some of the points discussed at the consultation.

K. Phanindra Reddy, member secretary of Adyar Poonga Trust, responded to some of the queries.

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