Chemical substance with strong odour flowing with sewage is let into the sea, says activist
Puducherry city is letting raw sewage water mixed with toxic waste into Thengaithittu estuary along the coast of Bay of Bengal, after being infiltrated into mangrove forests, posing a serious threat to mangroves and marine life. M. Selvamanikandan, president, Puducherry Environment and Mangrove Forest Development and Protection Society, said rubbish and sewage water was flowing into Thengaithittu estuary without being treated. “Over the past several days, we are seeing chemical substance with strong odour flowing with sewage water into the sea. We immediately informed the Pollution Control Board,” he said. Mr. Selvamanikandan said there were around 150 spots from where sewage water was let into the drain that flowed directly into sea. Kumar, a fisherman, in Thengaithittu, said contaminated water was killing the marine life. “One of the crab species has become extinct. Even the colour of water has changed and stench emanating from water is intolerable. We do not know what will happen to the mangrove forest,” he said. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, had admitted contamination of sea water because of dumping of toxic waste. The officials in the Ministry have pointed out that the water level in the backwater was changing because of tidal influence and domestic wastewater inflow from the land ward side. They stressed on protecting the mangrove forest in this region, said a government official. Scientists from the Department of Science, Technology and Environment have collected water samples from here and are testing to determine the chemical content and toxicity in water flowing to the estuary. “We have sent the water samples for testing. It will take another week to get the results. The extent of toxic waste entering sea will be determined only after we get the results,” said a scientist working in the department.