The Adyar estuary on the western side of Tholkappia Poonga is going dry. Even the tide is not bringing in much water into this area from the eastern lung of the Poonga.
On Friday evening, we saw some storks seeking feed in the almost dry bed of the backwater zone, seen from the edge of Dr D G S Dinakaran Road at the Pattinappakam signals junction.
Further in, where there was a large pool of water, there were dozens of birds, seeking feed in shallow waters.
Mandaveli resident Fabiola Jacob who goes on walks in the Poonga zone said that ”this area seems to be going completely dry. The birds have disappeared too, except for one painted stork and a flock of black-winged stilts.”
Fabiola posted photos on her ‘X’ account to illustrate the situation.
She also pointed out that the filters set up in the massive pipes that were laid under the road linking the two sections of the estuarine zone do not seem to allow tidal water from the seaside to flow west freely.
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