Chennai, Aug 23 (IANS) A dispute has emerged between the Water Resources Department (WRD) and the Fisheries Department in Tamil Nadu over the Mamallan reservoir project in Chengalpattu, after construction progressed without the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from fisheries authorities.
Nearly 30 per cent of the work on the proposed drinking water reservoir has reportedly been completed. The Fisheries Department, meanwhile, is yet to issue its clearance and has sought additional information from the WRD to assess the project’s possible impact on fishing communities.
The reservoir is being developed in the Kovalam sub-basin between East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram Road. Spread across approximately 5,161 acres, it is designed to have an annual storage capacity of 2.25 thousand million cubic feet of water and is expected to augment Chennai’s drinking water supply.
Former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin laid the foundation stone for the project in January. Construction continued for nearly six months before the WRD formally approached the Additional Director of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare on July 21, seeking an NOC. The timing of the request has raised concerns within the government, particularly because the project is situated near the coast and could affect the livelihoods of around 5,000 fishing families.
A senior government official said the WRD should have consulted the Fisheries Department and secured its approval before commencing construction.
“When a major project is located close to the coast and has implications for fishermen’s livelihoods, prior approval and a proper NOC are essential. Allowing construction to begin without obtaining the necessary clearance was a mistake,” the official said.
The official also questioned why the WRD waited until July to submit its request when the project had already been inaugurated and a substantial portion of the work completed.
According to the Fisheries Department, further details are required to examine the reservoir’s likely environmental and livelihood implications. Officials said repeated requests for information had not yet received a satisfactory response from the WRD.
The department will decide on the clearance and any conditions to be imposed only after receiving and examining the required documents, the official said.
The controversy has brought inter-departmental coordination in major infrastructure projects under scrutiny.
With construction continuing while the NOC remains pending, uncertainty persists over whether the WRD may be required to modify the project or introduce safeguards for affected fishing communities.
–IANS
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