At the other end of the bank is the Foreshore Estate Bus Terminus
built entirely upon land reclaimed from the creek. To its east is a
heavily congested slum while the western side is used as an open
toilet and garbage dump. The medical waste from a nearby hospital is
being dumped here. The middle section of the creek is bisected by the
Foreshore Estate Culvert near the Police Quarters. |
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To the west of this
culvert is a massive landfill. In addition, sewage water flows into
the creek through storm water drains, which are intended to carry only
monsoon flood waters. The pipes under the culvert, originally meant
for allowing free flow of water, are clogged. The banks near the
culvert, devoid of fortification, are prone to erosion. A foul odour
indicates high levels of pollution.
To the west of the culvert
is a stagnant pool of water. This is the farthest point where the
tidal effect can currently be felt. The landfill is more than two
metres high in places and widens towards the west. By the Police
Quarters at the southern end of the creek, there are many cattle sheds
as well as leaking drainage pipes. Beyond the stagnant pool is a dense
'thorn forest' through which a small stream of sewage flows. The
absence of typical estuarine fauna and the presence of water hyacinth
indicate heavy pollution.
 The entire
garbage-dump-landfill, which at one point covers the whole width of
the creek, is flooded during monsoons. Further down the creek, to the
north of a newly constructed bridge on the Mandavelipakkam bank is a
huge cattle shed built entirely on the creek. Both banks of the creek
are devoid of any native vegetation. Parts of the creek which once
experienced the tidal effect through a possible underground channel no
longer have it due to heavy encroachment and construction all around.
There still remains a stagnant pool of rainwater, where good fish can
actually be found.
The Adyar creek is a
typical example of a wetland degraded mainly by human encroachment.
But even now, we can turn this into a positive situation by creating
awareness among the people, teaching them to live in harmony with
nature, thereby saving the creek. Most people living in the inner
creek area (Karpagam Avenue) belong to the upper middle class and are
unaware even of the existence of the creek. They think it is just
another drainage canal and are indifferent.
 Those in the central part
of the creek, inhabited mainly by middle incomers, show slightly
better appreciation of the importance of the creek and awareness of
its present level of degradation, but most do not have any idea about
it, despite a strong educational background. Slums and low-income
groups occupy the outer part of the creek. Most of them are fishermen.
Inspite of poor educational background, their level of awareness is
high. This is because they depend on the creek for their living;
anything that affects the creek and the estuary affects them. They
show keen interest in restoration work.
Support for Save Adyar Creek Campaign
Akshaya
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