Marina beach losing its charm

By Akila Dinakar

CHENNAI, MAY 20. Gone are the days when the sprawling Marina Beach was a `thing of beauty' for Chennai residents who went there for a whiff of fresh air. Today, the crowds mill around, garbage is strewn all about, vendors of all hues noisily hawking their wares and horses that trot through the crowds. Fresh air and pure water are commodities to come by.

For several years now, the Chennai Corporation and CMDA have been pitting out periodic plans to beautify the beach. But the situation is no better today, and is in fact getting worse. The characteristic sandy soil is giving way to a dirty muddy terrain near the entrance from Kamarajar Salai. The horses that run around contribute their bit, kicking sand and other deposits in the face of visitors.

Residents will think twice to frolic along the beach waters today if they witnessed the multi-pronged assault by human beings. Even if they ignore the toxic industrial pollutants let into the sea, they cannot wish away the strong smell of sewage which fills the Marina's air these days. It is not surprising considering gallons of untreated sewage from the Royapuram, Kalmandapam and Tondiarpet Pumping Stations are discharged directly into the sea.

Walking along the shoreline to enjoy the early morning Sun is proving to be a civic disaster as it serves as a toilet for the early risers. As a visiting scientist recently remarked, ``The ocean returns whatever you throw''. All the garbage thrown the previous evening including vegetable rots and peels, garlands, half-eaten corn pods, broken matka pots, chappals, waste paper, plastic bags, covers and even sheets, shredded balloons, disposable coffee and ice cream cups, broken glasses, blades and more will be washed ashore early in the morning.

Looking at pollution at a macro-level, academic studies showed that the Adyar and Cooum rivers are two major waterways that add a tangible chunk of domestic sewage and industrial effluent sludge into the sea. The foodstalls that dish out anything from fish and chilly bajjis, chole masala, roasted ground nuts and samosas make it an ideal breeding ground for rats, says a Corporation Councillor.

Beach-lovers feel that instead of continuing to throw the blame on the people for their lack of ``civic sense'', the Corporation and other Government authorities would do well if they get into some concrete action to clean up Chennai's pride, rather than gloss over project reports and presentations.

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