Ennore Fisherfolk Halt Work in Kosasthalaiyar River After Mass Fish Kill

Fishing activity came to a halt in the Kosasthalaiyar River near the Ennore estuary on Monday, a day after a mass fish kill, as local fisherfolk stayed off the water and demanded immediate compensation for prolonged loss of livelihood.

Nearly 8,000 families across eight villages dependent on the river have been affected by the incident. Fisherfolk warned that the environmental damage could affect their fishing prospects for months. The halt in operations has also severely impacted women fish vendors, many of whom serve as the sole breadwinners for their households and are now left without a daily catch to sell.

The livelihood crisis was further compounded by the slow clearance of dead fish from the water. Although carcasses were removed from some stretches, a foul stench continued to hang over the road leading to Pudhunagar, where decomposing fish remained uncleared. Residents expressed fears that the rotting fish could create a public health hazard.

S Kumaresan, a resident of Kattukuppam, noted that fisherfolk from all eight villages collectively decided to stay off the river on Monday. He added that alongside the loss of work, the delayed removal of decomposing carcasses raised serious health concerns for local communities. Suspecting that chemical waste discharged from a nearby thermal power plant caused the fish deaths, villagers planned to file a police complaint on Tuesday.

Researchers from Ponneri Fisheries College visited the river on Monday morning to collect fresh samples of dead fish for analysis, with preliminary findings expected on Tuesday. Officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) are also analyzing water and fish samples gathered from the affected stretches.

The test results, expected within a couple of days, are anticipated to show whether the fish kill was triggered by toxic substances, depleted dissolved oxygen levels, or general water pollution. Residents have demanded regular monitoring of industrial effluents in the area and the immediate removal of construction waste dumped in the river.

CPI state secretary M Veerapandian called the incident a man-made disaster and urged the state government to take immediate steps to protect the environment and fishing resources in North Chennai. He highlighted that over 50 hazardous industries operate in the region, including units in the Kattupalli port and special economic zone, and questioned the regularity of safety audits. He said the impact spans more than 40 fishing villages, including Nettukuppam, Thalangkuppam, Mugathvara Kuppam, Ennore Kuppam, and Sivanpadai Veedhi Kuppam.