Chennai, Oct. 12 — Warning of an increased flood risk in residential areas surrounding Pallikaranai marsh, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday demanded an immediate halt to the construction of a retaining wall and pathway within the wetland.
After inspecting the site, he told reporters that the three-kilometre project should be scrapped and the portions of the wall and pathway already constructed should be removed.
Alleging corruption in the execution of the works, Anbumani said the PMK would organise a massive protest if the government proceeded with construction.
He said the project, launched under the Neithal Recovery Mission during the previous DMK government, was being continued by the TVK administration despite concerns over its environmental impact and legality.
Questioning the need for concrete structures inside the marsh, he said the proposal did not reflect the demands of residents or fishing communities, neither of whom had sought a wall or pathway. He claimed the work violated judicial directions on wetland protection.
According to him, the Neithal Recovery Mission was launched in 2024 to improve livelihoods in coastal communities across 14 districts along Tamil Nadu’s 1,076-kilometre coastline.
The State secured a World Bank loan of Rs 1,674 crore for the mission, with Rs 21.5 crore earmarked for the Pallikaranai works under the Forest Department, he said. The PMK leader alleged that the retaining wall would obstruct the natural movement of rainwater through the marsh, increasing the vulnerability of surrounding neighbourhoods to flooding.
Residents had told him that water stagnation had worsened after construction of the wall, he said. He also cited their complaints about mosquito breeding and dengue-related concerns.
Describing Pallikaranai as a crucial natural flood buffer for Chennai, Anbumani said the marsh channelled excess rainwater towards the sea and helped replenish groundwater during summer.
He claimed that the wetland, which covered around 15,000 acres a century ago, had dwindled to approximately 2,500 acres, underscoring the need to protect its remaining extent.
Anbumani called on Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to intervene immediately, halt construction and order the removal of the wall and pathway.
He further demanded formal notification and demarcation of the remaining marshland, alleging that the government had failed to take these steps despite court directions. Anbumani warned that failure to stop the works immediately would prompt the PMK to launch a large-scale agitation under his leadership.