Kovalam Mahabalipuram Reservoir Faces Opposition From 16 Fishing Villages in Chengalpattu
Kovalam Mahabalipuram reservoir project has come under sharp criticism from fishing communities across Chengalpattu district, with representatives of 16 coastal villages formally opposing the plan and warning that it could permanently damage livelihoods, wetlands and coastal ecology.
The opposition was placed before Minister TM Anbarasan during a consultation meeting held at the Thiruporur Block Development Office. Representatives from villages stretching from Kanathur Reddikuppam to Kokkilimedu said the proposed reservoir would erase traditional fishing rights and disrupt brackish-water ecosystems that have supported generations of coastal families.
According to the fishing communities, the project threatens “paadu rights”, customary fishing zones that define access and livelihood along the coast. They argued that these rights are not informal arrangements but long-standing systems recognised within coastal governance frameworks.
Kovalam Mahabalipuram Reservoir Raises Livelihood and CRZ Concerns
The villages stated that the Coastal Regulation Zone rules were created primarily to protect fragile coastal ecosystems and fisher livelihoods. They alleged that the Kovalam Mahabalipuram reservoir project, in its current form, violates both principles.
Community representatives claimed that fishing areas were wrongly described as vacant land during the approval process, leading to the granting of CRZ clearance by the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority in December 2025. They said traditional fishing zones were neither mapped nor recorded, despite CRZ norms requiring such documentation.
Fisherfolk also expressed concern that once the project begins, legal recognition of paadu fishing grounds would be lost permanently, leaving communities with no path for compensation or restoration.
The planned conversion of a brackish-water landscape into a freshwater reservoir was another major issue raised. The villages warned that this would destroy breeding grounds for fish and shrimp, directly impacting income and food security.
They added that the ecological damage would not be limited to fishing families alone, but would also affect indigenous Irular communities living in and around the wetlands.
Kovalam Mahabalipuram Reservoir Linked to Canal Diversion and Wetland Risk
A key technical concern highlighted by the fishing villages was the proposed diversion of the Buckingham Canal. The canal is considered a crucial drainage and ecological corridor that links backwaters to the sea.
According to the villagers, altering the canal’s natural course could block monsoon drainage, increase flooding in nearby settlements and break the hydrological balance of the wetlands. They warned that such changes could lead to the collapse of salt marshes and brackish ecosystems that act as natural flood buffers.
The communities stressed that these wetlands are not unused spaces but living systems that regulate water flow, support fisheries and protect coastal habitations during heavy rainfall.
They cautioned that once disrupted, these ecosystems cannot be recreated, even with mitigation measures.
The Kovalam Mahabalipuram reservoir project was announced in the 2025–26 State Budget and is planned across nearly 4,300 acres of coastal wetlands located between the East Coast Road and Old Mahabalipuram Road.
According to the Water Resources Department, the reservoir is intended to strengthen drinking water supply to southern Chennai and reduce flooding in surrounding peri-urban areas.
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However, the fishing communities questioned whether alternative inland locations were evaluated before selecting a sensitive coastal wetland zone. They said water security goals should not come at the cost of irreversible ecological and social damage.
Despite the opposition, the State government is expected to proceed with a foundation stone ceremony, with Chief Minister MK Stalin likely to attend the event. Also Read: Minister S Regupathy Signals Political Confidence Ahead of Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls in 2026
Conclusion
The growing resistance to the Kovalam Mahabalipuram reservoir highlights a widening gap between development planning and coastal livelihoods. As the project moves forward, fishing villages continue to demand recognition of traditional rights and protection of wetlands that sustain both people and ecology.
