WRD to Finish Dredging Invasive Charru Mussels in Ennore Backwaters by October
The Water Resources Department is aiming to complete dredging operations in the Ennore backwaters by October to eliminate the invasive Charru mussel, which has disrupted local wetland ecology and impacted fishing operations in the area.
The dredging is actively being executed across stretches between Kattupalli and Puzhuthivakkam, where the invasive species, known locally as 'Kakka Azhi', has rapidly multiplied. The initiative is being funded by the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation.
Officials stated that the project along the backwaters of the Kosasthalaiyar river is being executed in phases in compliance with a National Green Tribunal directive. Last year, the department completed dredging along a 1,700-metre section. Current operations cover another 1,700-metre stretch between Kattupalli and Puzhuthivakkam, along with a 500-metre branch channel.
Work has been ongoing since March this year, with machinery dredging down to a depth of one metre in designated stretches. The intervention follows recommendations from Anna University, which advised dredging along the channel running from Ennore creek toward Pazhaverkadu to curb the spread of the mussel.
According to officials, priority is being given to heavily infested zones, with plans to expand dredging to other sectors. A proposal has also been submitted to dredge the stretch near the Ennore estuary. Currently, dredged slurry is pumped onto bunds, allowing water to drain back into the channel while the extracted mussels are collected and disposed of separately.
Local residents and fishing communities have voiced concerns that a single dredging drive will not offer a permanent solution and have called for ongoing monitoring of the backwaters. Bhagath Singh of the Save Ennore Creek Movement stated that the dredged material requires proper disposal and urged authorities to permit representatives of fishing communities to supervise the operations, as dredging occurs in critical aquatic breeding grounds.
Residents have also called on authorities to investigate the factors behind the mussel's rapid spread and introduce preventive safeguards. In response, the Fisheries Department has initiated a study to determine long-term eradication strategies.
Addressing a recent mass fishkill in the Kosasthalaiyar river, officials said the department is collaborating with the Fisheries Department and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to pinpoint the underlying pollution sources, after which mitigation steps and heightened monitoring will be implemented.
