Adyar Poonga from the outside

 11th to 13th February 2022

Day 1

Morning walks in a different neighbourhood bring different joys and delights.  A little peek through the gap in the shrubbery revealed the waters of the Adyar Poonga, as I walked down the western sidewalk of Greenways road, towards Santhome.

No Binoculars and myopia meant I saw the Pelican swimming serenely, but what were those little waders?  They stood still and seemed rather lethargic.  Too big and inactive for sandpipers, too plump for Black-Winged Stilts.  

I enjoyed the breeze, the call of the white-browed bulbuls, the flight of the little egret over the water's surface, instead.

Tried to wheedle my way in to the Poonga via the side gates, but no luck - watchman were pretty firm about not letting anyone in.  I walked through one eastward cul-de-sac, which ended in the Fisheries Office, alongside Quibble Island cemetery.  A nice walk but for the smell of well, fish.  

On going back home, Sekar casually says there is a pedestrian bridge across the Poonga, from the road next to the India Cements building - How does he know these things, seriously?  I am very sceptical - first of all where is this road next to IC office, and how can there be a bridge across the Poonga, I mean, how??

Day 2

Next morning, I retraced my steps, armed with binoculars, and lo and behold, those gundu stock still birds were revealed - Grey-headed Lapwings.  I was very happy to come across them - after a few years.  Winter migrants, they are rather different from the busy resident Red Wattled Lapwings.  Striking looking with their black breast band.  There was also a large flock of BWS, with their pink legs, mirrored in the water too.

A couple of Night Herons were busy in their own focussed worlds.

I had another goal from the previous day - finding that bridge - which I was quite sure didn't exist.  So I retraced my steps, back to the Indian Cements building....and there was the road going west...Karpagam Gardens...ok Sekar, I found it!  Nice tree-lined avenue, with the regular morning sounds.    

And there at the end of the road, was Karpagam Bridge!!! Across the Poonga, yes indeed, Sekar.  I loved the way it was designed, with the trellis to allow a look-see into the Poonga, and little wider alcoves, to sit in the evenings, if you so desired.  

The view through the trellis, looking west. One of the Poonga workers was picking up trash - bottles carelessly chucked over the bridge (Why, people?)  I thanked him for doing his job, and commiserated with him.

I spied the Poonga walking paths

And the workers going about their work, sweeping and cleaning the paths.  Squirrels enjoyed the trellis racing up and down, and getting startled seeing my face suddenly.

The view on the other side.  The Portea tree was full of the sound of white-browed bulbuls.  A lady passing by with her shopping told me that I should come earlier to find the birds (It was after 8am), as she hurried back home.

At the edge, I could hear the loud cackling of white-breasted waterhens, among the reeds at the water's edge, while a pelican paddled away from me.

As I crossed the kalyana mangalam, I saw this sewage truck that had the Made in India lion - a recycling sewage tank is it?

Day 3

I followed the lady's tip and started with Karpagam bridge, but no luck there.

I walked back via Quibble cemetery, wandered through the ancient graves, and saw a large blooming Kapok

14th Feb saw the BWS on the backwaters, and I managed to get on decent binocs-phone-cam shot

That evening, the sunset over the Adyar, brought gold to the waters - I could see the wader flocks near the bridge take to the air, but they were too far for me to figure out whether they were plovers or sandpipers, stints or shanks.

Madras' waterways - in need of help

I usually return on late night flights and rarely get to see the coastline from the air.  In the recent past, as I returned home during the day, I enjoyed the views of the Bay of Bengal and our Coromandel coast, with its lovely beaches.

Bapatla beach, Pulicat lake and then down to Ennore.

Ennore creek - when you see it from the air, you realise how large and important this ecosystem is. I wondered what that green stagnant pond was.

8,000 acres which should be protected under the Coastal Zone Management Map of 1996.

This CZMP seemed to have mysteriously vanished and has surfaced, after many a RTI to show blatant violations.

The New Indian Express published this article in 17th June 2017,

State and Central government entities have converted over 1,000 acres of the ecologically sensitive Ennore creek — and have more in the pipeline — in violation of mandatory procedures, alleged activists on Friday in a revelation that raises serious concerns.
The creek’s 8,000-acre water spread area is classified as CRZ-1 (Coastal Regulation Zone), where development is strictly regulated, according to Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) of 1996. As per CRZ notification, this is the only approved map, and the state and district coastal zone management authorities have to refer to it while appraising all applications seeking clearance.
In two separate RTI responses to Coastal Resource Centre, an NGO, the Tiruvallur district Coastal Zone Management Authority (CZMA) and the State CZMA have revealed that neither has a copy of the approved map for Ennore creek. The district authority admitted that it relied solely on the maps submitted by the project proponents.
“The CZMP of 1996 has so far been kept under the carpet. Major establishments like Kamarajar Port and the thermal power plants have got clearances based on unapproved maps prepared by their consultants. This is a serious violation by State and Central public sector undertakings,” said Nityanand Jayaraman of Save Ennore Creek Campaign.
Some of the activities like port and oil storage containers are permitted in CRZ-1, but the basis on which the clearances were obtained was wrong.
Kamarajar Port is now converting 280 acres of waterbody into land for a coal yard, TANGEDCO is also dumping sand and blocking the creek to construct a coal conveyor belt for the Ennore Thermal Power Station and Bharat Petroleum is building a storage facility on 102 acres of the wetland. “Such activities are strictly prohibited in CRZ-1 and clearances can’t be granted as per the CZMP approved in 1996.”
For obtaining clearance, BPCL submitted maps prepared by Institute of Remote Sensing (IRS), according to which the project site falls in CRZ-1(A), CRZ-1(B) and CRZ-3. Based on this map, the State coastal zone management authority has issued clearance with the condition that no activity be carried out in CRZ-1 areas. However, IRS maps are not approved, and CZMP map shows the entire project site falls in CRZ-1 area, which meant clearance shouldn’t have been granted.
Releasing the documents, retired Madras High Court Justice D Hariparanthaman, and former expert member of the National Green Tribunal, R Nagendran, noted that the creek automatically enjoys protection under Wetland Rules, 2010.
Meanwhile, an open letter endorsed by Environmentalist Foundation  of India, Poovulagin Nanbargal, Ilanthamizhagam and Arappor Iyakkam has been sent to chief secretary seeking to further halt encroachment and declare it as a ‘climate sanctuary’.

The Ennore Creek sees the confluence of Kosasthalaiyar river, North Buckingham Canal and the sea.  Flash dumping has also caused silting of the canal and almost brought to a halt flow into the sea.

The "Save Ennore Creek" movement hopes to do, well just that - save the creek.  In January this year TM Krishna sang the poromboke song as a bid to increase awareness of the dreadful state of the creek.

On another flight back home, I came in over the Adyar estuary.

Beautiful waterways, but where is the mouth?  A huge sandbank means that water (or, what I like to believe is water) really does not flow to the sea.  

In the foreground, is the successful Adyar Poonga project, which has restored one bit (about 58 acres) of the Creek that is part of the estuarine ecosystem.  It has  restored the natural ecosystem and flora and fauna is once again thriving in this little part of the whole estuary.

The green lung of the TS is the saving grace on the southern side of the river bank, while the northern side faces the relentless pressure of development.

As we came down to land, I enjoyed the view of the GNP, and the polo grounds, once again a green space that keeps the pollution levels down and is a precious refuge for urban wildlife.

Idiosyncratic, humid and hot it may be, but it is still home.  Every time I land back, there is that inexplicable joy in the heart that I cannot explain.  More than one more bridge, more than one more mall, I wish our planners show the will to save our waterways, restore the green cover and safeguard our poromboke lands.

Adyar Poonga news

Adyar Creek gets green cover in second phase of restoration - The Hindu:





 Going Green:Workers planting saplings near Foreshore Estate as part of the Adyar Creekeco-restoration project.— Photo: M. Vedhan



More than 58,000 saplings to be planted this month ahead of the monsoon

As part of the second phase of the eco-restoration project, the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust has started restoring the tree cover in Adyar Poonga that covers 300 acres around the Adyar Creek.

More than 58,000 saplings including six species of mangroves and 12 species of trees and shrubs would be planted this month, ahead of the northeast monsoon.

“All the species are endemic to the Coromandel Coast,” said an official.

Following the first phase of eco-restoration which covered 58 acres, the water spread area increased to 59 per cent in 2011. After dredging and removal of debris, the water spread area in the eco-park has increased to 250 acres. In the second phase, the water spread area has increased to 83 per cent.

A chunk of earth excavated from the creek has been used to create mounds around the water body to support intertidal plants such as mangroves, mangrove associates, reeds and terrestrial plants. After the eco-restoration, the park is expected to attract many species of birds and other fauna of the creek ecosystem.

The mounds are likely to serve as sound barriers against the vehicular traffic on busy stretches such as Santhome High Road.

Sewage mixing in creek

Despite all the efforts that have gone into the eco-restoration project, mixing of sewage in the creek remains a problem.

Even though the Corporation had constructed stormwater drains from neighbourhoods to the Adyar Creek, the problem persists.

The mixing of sewage is expected to reduce only after Metro Water develops the infrastructure for reducing pollution in the park.

More winged visitors flock to Adyar Poonga

The Hindu : NATIONAL / TAMIL NADU : More winged visitors flock to Adyar Poonga

By Aloysius Xavier Lopez

  A painted stork in the Adyar Poonga on Friday. — Photo: K.V.Srinivasan With more species of migratory birds arriving at the Adyar Poonga (Tholkaapiya Poonga) this monsoon, the documentation of such species in the 58 acres is likely to commence shortly. Painted storks have come for the first time after eco-restoration of the first phase of the park. Grey heron, large egret, and black winged stilt are some of the other species spotted amid the vast lush green area after the northeast monsoon began last month. “Painted stork has not been seen in the Adyar Estuary for many years. Getting to see painted stork this year is very good news,” said K.V.Sudhakar, president of Madras Naturalists' Society. Around 200 species of birds have been reported in the Adyar area in the past, he added. Many of such species had vanished from the vicinity because of rapid urbanisation. According to officials, increased availability of fish in the waterbodies of the 58 acre area and improvement in habitat on account of the eco-restoration are some of the reasons for the migration of birds to the park. “We are not going to introduce any species. Every new species attracted to the park should be because of natural process,” said an official. The tidal inflow to the Adyar Poonga plays a crucial role in complete restoration of the ecosystem and attraction of new species of fish to the estuary, said officials. After the second phase of the project, the normal tidal inflow would be completely restored. Saplings planted The State government spent over Rs.23 crore in the first phase of eco-restoration. About 1.37 lakh saplings of around 172 endemic species of trees, herbs, shrubs, reeds and tuberous plants were planted to serve as habitat for aquatic, terrestrial and arboreal species.

The Adyar Poonga

Madras Musings - Adyar Poonga

Worrying article that claims the Poonga is being neglected, suppliers not being paid....

Detailed report on the Adyar poonga

Rebirth of the Adyar creek - Chennai - City - The Times of India

CHENNAI: Pied kingfishers, yellow wagtails, egrets, white bellied sea eagles, chestnut-winged cuckoos, black-winged stilts...

A waterbody, once a dumping site laden with tonnes of debris and gallons of sewage, has begun attracting migratory birds, thanks to the state's ambitious restoration of the ecologically sensitive Adyar creek. The Adyar Poonga Trust (rechristened as Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) recently) is racing against time to complete the first phase of restoration of the 58-acre stretch, one of Chennai's most eco-sensitive spots, before November this year.

"It was a filthy place, with debris strewn around. Cattle was being reared by neighbouring slum dwellers and anti-socials made merry in the area that was full of thickets. Initial assessment of the creek area was, in fact, done from the nearby high-rise structures because no one could enter the poonga (creek)," says an official associated with the project.

CRRT had to excavate 150,000 tonnes of construction debris and garbage from the site to create a water body embellished with earthern pathways, wooden bridges, signage and bamboo pavilions. About 91,280 plants of various species are being planted inside at locations such as the entrance plaza, swale area near Town Planning Scheme Road, on the rear side of Ambedkar Manimandapam and along Santhome entrance plaza. About 37,600 reeds are being planted along the water margins.

"Adyar poonga is a fulcrum for environmental education," says K Phanindra Reddy, member secretary, Chennai Rivers Restoration Project. As part of the educational reach programme, eco-clubs are being set up in neighbouring schools and colleges by the Trust. "Adyar creek will eventually become a model for restoration of water bodies, including Cooum and Adyar," Reddy claimed.

As part of the restoration, the CRRT also plans to have a green centre in the erstwhile fisheries building near Ramakrishna Mutt Road. "An audio visual room, environmental education centre, library to document creek activities, laboratory to check water quality, a souvenir shop, coffee corner, all form part of the centre," Reddy said. Restoration work will soon extend into the estuary spreading over an area of 300 acres.

Initially spearheaded by Chennai Corporation and supported by Tamil Nadu Road Development Company Ltd, this project was conceived primarily as an effort to restore the fragile eco-system of the Adyar estuary and creek and raise awareness among the public about the environment.

The estuary has been a topic of furious discussion among ecologists and environmentalists for a long time now. Adyar river, one of the three major waterways in Chennai apart from Cooum and Buckingham Canal, is where migratory birds flock the most. According to Madras Naturalists Society secretary K V Sudhakar, "the area where the river and the sea meet is a major feeding ground for birds as it is rich in many organisms. A few years ago, our society recorded the presence of over 200 different species of birds in the creek," he added.

But the restoration project is seen by critics as excessive development work around a natural ecosystem which needs to be left alone. "Restoration of the creek would mean bringing the creek back to its natural condition. I would like to call this a transformation project where an existing natural ecosystem is being engineered into a tourist spot," said Nityanand Jayaraman, a freelance journalist and an environmentalist. According to Nityanand, the marshlands of Adyar creek is being turned into an artificial freshwater ecosystem in the process.

On the other hand, Sudhakar, says the project is a step in the right direction. "All the trees being planted are native, and the people who have undertaken the work know what they are doing," he said. Referring to the massive real estate development that Chennai is witnessing, he said the ongoing measures would evoke interest in saving the creek. "With this project, you are bringing in the public, who will see what they are losing and take an interest in saving it . Awareness is very important."

Adyar Poonga

Finally, the monsoon has arrived here in Madras. After a wet and rainy week, I see the sun today! The trees are all green and washed, and the birds and butterflies are zipping around making up for lost days.

Before the monsoons, we sneaked in a walk to the Adyar Poonga. A huge battalion of MNS members, (some of them becoming members at Adyar Poonga!) descended on Preston and the Poonga, at 6:45 in the morning. We were delighted to see the huge progress in tree planting and recharging of the water holes that have happened in the past six to eight months, and look forward to its moving forward and playing a dominant part in restoring the estuarine ecosystem of the region.

Preston took us around the 53(?) acres and of course we did not stick together and of course we straggled, but he dealt with all this with great fortitude!

Its a surprise that the birds were still around, given the racket we were making. The water had attracted cormorants, little grebes, coots and water hens. We even saw a pair of black-winged stilts, lapwings, Pond and night herons lurking in the undergrowth. White-throated kingfishers were there in plenty, as also parakeets and pigeons.

And then there were butterflies, dragonflies, spiders ...and a mystery caterpillar and cocoon. (Check out the slideshow above for more details.)

Husbands are very useful, I realised (yet again!) on this walk. As we watched and oohed and aahed about the strange cocoon and caterpillars, there was a quiet tap on my shoulder. Look out for the ants, he said pointing down to an ant's nest just maybe three inches from where I was, and I hastily jumped the other way. Of course, I quite forgot to tell the stragglers who came in to see what all the fuss was about, and they were all promptly bitten by some very enraged and angry ants who had been stepped upon.

The sun was climbing in the sky, and we had to cycle back to Thiruvanmyur - we decided to be "green", and bike there you see. A delightful morning, with the added bonus of seeing some MS members I had not seen since our Kanha trip, many many moons ago.

More talented than Mr Ripley!

Thats what I thought while reading about butterfly mimicry.  The "talented" Mr Ripley. pops off his friend, and takes on his persona.  While butterflies mimic other butterflies so that they dont get popped off.

It all gets a bit confusing, but I discovered that this butterfly mimicry is a serious area of scientific research, and scientists have found the gene responsible for butterfly mimicry!!

So, if what I've understood is right, a nice tasty, colourful butterfly pretends to be a toxic, colourful butterfly, and fools the birds and reptiles to leave it alone.  Now for all of this to work, there should be enough of the original toxic butterflies around, so the pretenders can get away with their disguise.

The scientist who discovered this was somebody called Bates, and so, it seems, this whole behaviour is referred to as Batesian mimicry.

What I cant figure out is, how do we know then that it is actually butterfly A and not butterfly B which it is disguised as?!

I saw loads of these two butterflies flitting around on the meadows a couple of days ago.  I was filled with childish delight and wonder as they flitted from one little purple meadow flower to another,  alighting on a tall grass flower, and swaying with the breeze.

I had my binocs (for once!) and so had my heart's fill of  following them around.  But for a camera, I only had my 'phone.  Oh well, I shouldn't complain.  

So I came back home referred to my books, and said to myself,"Aha, an eggfly (the black, polka-dotted one), and a plain tiger (the yellow one).  Feeling very pleased at my idying abilities, I was about to move on, when my eye caught sight of an article/picture that said, "An eggfly pretending to be a plain tiger".  What?!  I took a look - several times - between the supposed difference between a plain tiger and an eggfly pretending to be a tiger, but I couldn't see the differences, in spots, border patterns, etc etc that i was supposed to look for.

So it turns out, that this pair are a male and female of the same Danaid eggfly.  Or so I think, anyway.  
As I ambled to the banks of the estuary, I saw these lovely candle bushes, all abloom and buzzing with bees, as also some Cassia.

And these purple wonders, which I cannot identify,

As also this blue tiger.  Parakeets screeched overhead, while the clouds seem to have driven away the Kites, which I usually would see circling here.

On the water, were a whole bunch of egrets, black-winged stilts and some other waders that were too far away for me to see.

But what I liked most were those barn swallows.  These birds, I believe are only winter visitors to Madras, spending the rest of the year somewhere in the Himalayas!  Their flight paths and speed are quite astonishing and I spent so much time watching them fly, dive bomb, turn on their tails....puts any fighter plane to shame!

Check out these lovely pictures from another MNS member Sripad.  He saw them at Adyar Poonga.

Swallow 1
Originally uploaded by Sripadshoots

Barn Swallow In Flight Close up
Originally uploaded by Sripadshoots

Swallow pair hunting
Originally uploaded by Sripadshoots

Friends of Adyar Poonga

I attended a Friends of Adyar Poonga meeting this afternoon - so I think I qualify as "friend". (Nowadays, have you noticed, this "friend" is a very important concept. So I am friends with so-and-so in Facebook, I could be a friend of the Chennai Museum, or part of the elite Friends of Dakshinchitra.)

Anyways, for those of you wondering what Adyar Poonga is in the first place, its about 58 acres of wasteland, which the government has decide to restore back to nature. No, no that does not mean that all male citizens of our great metro can go and use it to answer their calls of nature, nor does it mean that we can throw our natural (and unnatural) rubbish there. No, it means that the TN government has finally seen the light and ordered that the Adyar Estuary, creek and wetlands around it need to be improved from the sewage pond and garbage dump they are currently, into some sort of eco park.

Thankfully, they got in some outsiders - Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, all the way from Auroville, who have worked doggedly, enthusiastically and cooperatively.

This is the current status, as was shared with us at the meeting -

• Finally, they have been able to get the officials to cooperate and block the sewage entering the marshland and the stormwater drains in the neighbourhood
• The colonies around are now not throwing their waste and garbage into the 58 acres!
• A freshwater pond has been excavated, and has already benefitted from the rains, and has water.
• Tree planting - only native species for the most part - has begun.
• Educational boards and wildlife exhibitions are being hosted
• There is a semi-permanent display on the plans for the area.  (Do go and take a look, a lot of thought and planning has gone into it.)
• There are talks on with the large corporates and commercial buildings around to provide treated grey water for the development of the greenery.

So, what did I do?  Just listened actually, for the most part, and fed off some of the enthusiasm and optimism that was in the air regarding the future of the project.  Oh yes, I made an important "contribution" - I suggested that since they were not giving us a ration card or a voter's id, details like Father's Name could be dropped from the enrolling form!!

Next meeting on Oct 26th.  I hope to attend if I am in town.

PS:  Kailash of MNS pointed out some Large pied wagtails which was my first time seeing this wagtail! Thanks Kailash!