Lack of proper waste disposal system has resulted in untreated sewage being discharged into the Thengaithittu lagoon, posing a serious threat to the mangroves and marine life, activists say. Dumping of solid waste, including plastics, add to the problem. The lack of concerted action on the part of enforcement agencies was evident in raw sewage from different areas entering the lagoon, they allege. The Thengaithittu fishing harbour, which is located close to the lagoon is also swamped with waste. At the confluence point of the Uppar drain and the Grand Canal that carries the city’s sewage, untreated wastewater is illegally released into the lagoon that directly flows into the sea. Fishing vessels berthed at the harbour are surrounded with waste washed up from the estuary. It consists of mainly plastic carry bags, liquor bottles, glass and straws that get entangled in fishing nets, fishermen lament. “The main source of pollution in the Thengaithittu lagoon is the large amount of untreated sewage and solid waste that flow into the lagoon, brought by the Grand Canal, the Uppar and Murungampakkam drain,” says Aurofilio Schiavina, an expert on coastal management and member of PondyCan, a non-governmental organisation.
“Due to the pollution in the lagoon, every once in a while mass fish deaths occur, where thousands of fish wash up on the shore. All kinds of solid waste wash up on the shore and choke the roots of the mangroves,” he says. “The pollution of the Thengaithittu estuary is a problem not only for the environment but also for the health of a large number of people living close to the lagoon and those using it,” he says. The Puducherry Government has been promoting the lagoon as a tourist destination by offering mangrove and boating tours. “This is a very good initiative and hopefully will incentivise the government to value this natural and beautiful lagoon and also allocate necessary funds to clean it up and restore it, which is the need of the hour,” he adds. According to M. Selvamanikandan, president of Puducherry Environment and Mangrove Forest Development and Protection Society, “Sewage from places, such as Nellithope, Boomiyanpet, Reddiyarpalayam, Mudaliarpet, Anna Nagar, Engineer Colony (Velrampet), Olandhakeerapalayam, Uppalam and Vambakeerapalayam has been directly running into the sea in and around the Thengaithittu lagoon.”
“The mangrove forests are located in close proximity to the fishing harbour and the untreated sewage has severely affected the mangroves which function as a protective barrier during natural calamities. The mangrove forests near the estuary are very fragile and it is important to conserve them. A plan must be put in place to prevent discharge of untreated waste water and to take up periodic cleaning of solid waste, including plastic waste in various areas,” the expert says. According to an official, the Public Works Department was directed to set up grit chambers at a few locations in the Thengaithittu lagoon to reduce the quantity of solid waste entering the sea. “But these grit chambers are not working now,” he said, adding that a comprehensive sewage treatment plant had been proposed to cover the areas surrounding the lagoon.
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