The ecologists, scientists, NGOs, local inhabitants and a large number of citizens have expressed their anxiety, anguish and agony over this impending man-made ecological disaster through different forums and during the statutory public hearing conducted by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. According to some of the very active NGOs like Coastal Action Network (CAN), the government appears to be ignoring all these protests as it is armed with a favourable environment report by National Environmental Engineering Institute (NEERI) and emboldened by the much diluted coastal zone regulation (CRZ) norms.

The nation is yet to awaken to this impending ecological catastrophe here, says Sanjeeva Raj, a professor of ecology who has done extensive research on the marine life of Pulicat lake for over three decades. And that lethargy is largely thanks to the inability of NEERI to perceive the uniqueness of the Kattupalli island and ring the alarm bells. For NEERI it is just another government-selected site. Its view, it appears, is that any industry could be set up on the island provided there is provision for collection of effluents, their treatment and pipelines to pump them out into the sea, and for growing a green belt, the NGOs say.

NEERI, which conducted a rapid environmental impact assessment of Kattupalli, and prepared an environment management plan for public consumption, has failed to discern the danger despite having several frightening signals all around, they add.

This unique ecological system stretches from the Ennore creek in the south, and consists of the Kattupalli island, the Pulicat lake and the Buckingham canal flowing into the lake along the western side of the island and the Bay of Bengal on the east. The creek is the southern tip of this very rare biosphere in the country, even in the world, with rich botanical and zoological diversity. The disaster has begun.

The creek has enormous accretion of sea sand in its opening to the sea owing to the newly-built Ennore port north of it. Scientists have conclusively proved that in the Bay of Bengal any obstruction will lead to sand accumulation south of it and land erosion north of it. Chennai port has led to the closing of the Cooum river mouth and extensive erosion of sea coast on the northern side. The same action is being repeated on either side of Ennore Port.

The closing of the Ennore creek obstructs flow of the water in the creek, which is filled with the pollutants from the industries and thermal plants near-by. The stagnant, effluent-filled water instead of flowing into the sea is joining with the Buckingham canal and reaches the Pulicat lake.

Buckingham canal, just 60-65 years ago, was a waterway between Chennai and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. Now some of its stretches are being reclaimed. But the portion in North Chennai is slowly becoming the effluent carrier from Ennore and North Chennai. It also carries slurry-filled hot effluents from the North Chennai Thermal Power Plant destroying marine life.

The island, a natural wonder, is a depository island. North to south, it is about 14 km long and east to west, its broadest point is 2.25 km wide and average width is about 1.25 km. However, owing to recent erosion, the narrowest point is just over 100 metres. The average area of this island is 18 km. Over 2,250 families live there.

According to an environmental survey of the island conducted by the Madras Christian College, ``Kattupalli island is unique for its multi-ecosystems, such as the in-shore, beach, sand dunes, scrub jungle, brackish water, mangrove and agricultural ecosystem, with all their interfaces, all within the restricted area of this small island''.

However, Tidco has acquired substantial portion of the island to be sliced into industrial plots for the deshi and videshi investors interested in petrochemical business.

Pulicat, the second largest brackish water lake in the country, is spread across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu it has a water spread of 13,000 hectares. It is already in danger. Any further onslaught will wipe out it as brackish water lake, and make it an extension of the Bay of Bengal. If this is allowed to happen, the livelihood of over one lakh human beings, Dalits and fishermen will be in danger, thousands of migratory birds will lose their habitat, the sea turtles, prawns and innumerable varieties of sea organisms, shell fishes, crabs and host of other fishes will lose their breeding grounds.

What (immense variety of flora and fauna) the nature took millions of years to build and house will merge with sea in a few years for a few millions of rupees in profit.

CAN, a gathering of NGOs in Tamil Nadu, with the help of a retired justice, H Suresh; former vice-chancellor of Manonmanian Sundranar University, Dr. Vasanthi Devi; a former joint director of fisheries and leading marine micro-biologist, A Sreenivasasn, and a reader in the Centre for Environmental Sciences of Manonmanian Sundarananr University, Dr M Arunachalam have conducted public hearings and prepared a very detailed report on the ecological impact of development works on the banks of the lake and areas surrounding it, including the Kattupalli island.

They say these developments will be in violation of several national and international environmental and pollution control laws and conventions. According to their findings: ``Pulicat lake is a sister lake of Chilka both of which should not become extinct through human intervention. Once damaged, the ecosystem cannot be restored to its original state in physio-chemical and biological parametres. Biodiversity will be endangered. Many fish and other aquatic organisms will become extinct. Some will become endangered and many will become threatened species. The biological disaster must be stalled. One can obtain petro-products from other less vulnerable environments but one cannot relocate the Pulicat lake ecosystem or the Kattupalli island system.''

However, Tidco officials argue that they do not do anything in violation of the law of the land. Appropriate environmental studies were being conducted by competent institutions and all statutory clearances were being obtained at every stage.

Whatever the case, the lake and island are becoming the ground for the modern battle between ecology and development. It will also be an ideal testing ground for the concept of `sustainable development'.