WHY DREDGING THE PALLIKARANAI MARSH IS A BAD IDEA Here's a snapshot of an article from the Times of India dated November 30, 2020 where Greater Chennai Corporation announced a plan to dredge the marsh with the blessing of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

We'll tell you why it is a bad idea! The key to understanding the Pallikaranai marsh lies in understanding its HYDROLOGICAL CHARACTER.

The marsh acts like a SPONGE - meaning, it soaks up water during peak rainfall and releases it slowly during dry spells.

Dredging will disturb this critical characteristic of the marsh. The Pallikaranai marsh also plays an important role in GROUNDWATER RECHARGE, especially for the South Chennai Aquifer that runs from the South of Adyar right upto Kovalam. In light of these functions, dredging the Pallikaranai marsh will make Chennai vulnerable to FLOODING during STORM SURGES.

This is a VULNERABILITY the city of CHENNAI cannot afford to handle in its current state given the existing stresses on its wetlands. We can almost hear you say, "OK, all this is fine, but what about waterlogging in SOUTH CHENNAI?"

WATERLOGGING has to be handled by DRAINING the marsh, and not flushing it. To put it in simple terms, draining refers to the slow discharge of water as against flushing, which is rapid.. almost like flushing the loo.

(Trust us on the analogy!) The BIRD MIGRATORY SEASON coincides with post- monsoon months when the wetlands are full.

The wetlands of Chennai serve as NESTING AND BREEDING GROUNDS for both transboundary and local migratory species We urge the authorities to RECONSIDER and WITHDRAW the plan to DREDGE the PALLIKARANAI MARSH.

Let us work together in building EVIDENCE-BASED FLOOD MITIGATION strategies for CHENNAI.

#SavePallikaranaiMarsh #SavePallikaranai ஏ பளிகரைண ச நலைத ஆழபத தவ?