Will remove mussels in Pulicat after monsoon: Govt

THE Ennore-Pulicat wetland complex, which is ecologically sensitive and attracts thousands of migratory birds annually, is losing its biodiversity due to extensive spread of invasive Charru mussels, the same species that wreaked havoc in Kerala's Ashtamudi lake, a Ramsar site, in Kollam district.

- SV KRISHNA CHAITANYA

Despite such a crisis brewing, the Tamil Nadu government is buying more time and has initiated no removal work so far.

In the last one year, repeatedly, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the government to come up with a solution and start removing the invasive mussels but no concrete step was taken. On Monday, the government once again delayed removal and informed the tribunal that it would commence the works after northeast monsoon in January.

The theory that the government put forth citing scientists of Dr MGR Fisheries College and Research Institute is that freshwater influx would kill the Charru mussels during the monsoon so that it could spend only less money for the removal after rains.