The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Fisheries Department and the Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority to file a detailed report on the removal of invasive mussel species from Ennore-Pulicat wetland.
S. Kumaresan, a fisherman from Ennore, has filed an application stating that an invasive South American mussel species, Mytella strigata, has spread like a carpet over the riverbed, preventing prawns from grazing or burying themselves in the sediment. Referred to as kaaka aazhi locally, it is said to be wiping out the locally prevalent and commercially valuable yellow clams (manja matti) and green mussels (pachai aazhi).
Mr. Kumaresan sought a direction to the government to take urgent action against the spread of mussels to ensure that the wetland ecosystem and livelihood are protected. He said because of the invasive mussels, the river bottom is suffocated with one foot-deep sludge of black, foul-smelling slimy excreta.
The government pleader argued that kaaka aazhi is not an alien species as it has an entry in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (WPA) and that the NGT does not have jurisdiction to hear any matters relating to the WPA, which is not listed in Schedule I of the NGT Act. Remarking that this aspect had to be examined in further hearings, the Bench comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati asked the authorities to file a comprehensive report in response to the application. “Let the government furnish information as to whether the act of dredging had begun or any action plan had been prepared by the Fisheries Department,” the Bench ordered.