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 Chennai is one of the few cities with an estuarine ecosystem. The estuary,
where the Adyar river joins the Bay of Bengal in the southern part of the city, once
boasted of about 170 varieties of birds and innumerable types of fish. Although the river
is now highly polluted, there is still vegetation and nesting of migratory birds in the
estuary. Just before the river enters the sea at a sand bar on the shore, a piece of it
takes off northward as a tidal creek, part of the estuarine eco-system. The creek also
supports vegetation and bird life.
The Adyar River originates at the
Chembarambakkam tank in south Chengalpattu district, about 40 km. from the city. Along its
course, the Mambalam drain, the Buckingham canal and numerous sewage and storm water
drains in the city join it.  The estuary extends from
the Adyar Bridge to the sandbar, with some small islands in-between. The creek begins
beyond the Chettinad Palace, extends northward and takes a U-turn near the Foreshore
Estate Bridge to terminate near Mandavelipakkam. It surrounds what was formerly called
Quibble Island, stopping short of completely encircling it.
The polluted water from upstream gets diluted
by the sea tides to some extent near Sathya Studios and the Government Music College. But
towards the east along the creek beyond Chettinad house, there is an increase in
man-caused degradation and the riverbank is devoid of vegetation. The sloping banks of the
estuary are filled with debris from a nearby construction site, burying thousands of crabs
and other fauna. These changes have occurred at an incredibly fast pace. A multi-storied
building being erected here further mars environmental aesthetics.
 To the north is a small channel
running west, part of a network of channels that once covered Quibble Island. The mouth of
this channel is blocked with debris from a dilapidated footbridge and sludge from nearby
hutments. The rest of it has been completely filled and the Madras Stock Exchange has
purchased the resulting "land". Just beyond this channel (behind the Government
Fisheries), is a small piece of low-lying land covered with a salt-tolerant red-green
shrub, supporting diverse fauna. Surprisingly, inspite of its isolation from the main
water body, the tidal effect is still felt here and the land is always wet.
All along the opposite bank are hutments with
a continuous stretch of plastic waste extending right into the water.  Heavy
silting on the creek bed has forced the water into a meandering course. Further to the
north are the remnants of another footbridge. Most of the footbridge has been removed and
the whole place encroached by slums, narrowing the breadth of the creek to just a few
feet. Rubble inhibits free flow of seawater during high tide, resulting in water
stagnation. Low tide does not reach this part. The southern bank forms part of the
Government Fisheries. Since this area is inaccessible to the general public, it shows
extensive bio-diversity.
(To be continued)
Akshaya
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