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Time of India
18-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Waste-to-energy plant could affect 50 bird species, says Palluyir Trust
1 2 3 Chennai: The Palluyir Trust , a Chennai-based environmental organization, has urged Greater Chennai Corporation to drop its plan to set up a waste-to-energy plant at Sathangadu, warning that the site lies within ecologically sensitive wetlands behind the Kodungaiyur dumpyard. During a survey on March 28, naturalists from the trust identified 50 bird species within just three hours at the proposed project site. Among those recorded were threatened birds such as grey pelicans and painted storks, along with migratory species such as wood sandpipers, whiskered terns, grey-headed lapwings, and brown-headed gulls, which travel from Central Asia and Russia. Naturalists noted bird movement between the site and Pulicat Bird Sanctuary, suggesting that Sathangadu functions as a feeding or resting corridor in the broader migratory route. The wetland, in addition to being a wildlife habitat, also acts as a crucial floodplain for neighbourhoods prone to waterlogging during the monsoon. Environmentalists warn that building a thermal incinerator here could increase urban flood vulnerability by choking a natural drainage buffer. Residents of Kodungaiyur warned the plant would intensify flooding during monsoons, as the neighbourhood already suffers from poor drainage and inadequate flood mitigation. "The area floods every year because nearby waterbodies are not maintained. Putting a large incinerator project here will block natural runoff and make it worse," said a resident, V Ganesh. They urged authorities to consider alternate locations such as the existing landfill, which is already degraded and would spare the wetland from further ecological damage. When contacted, a senior official from GCC said they would review the study and respond accordingly.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Prices of freshwater fish, prawn soar in AP
Visakhapatnam: Prices of freshwater fish, prawn and some varieties of seafood have surged significantly in the state following the implementation of a two-month fishing ban, which is aimed to protect breeding marine life. The annual ban, enforced from April 15 to June, has led to price rise ranging from 30 to 40% in various fish varieties. Freshwater fish like Rohu (Sheelavathi), Carp (Bangarupapa) and Katla (Bocha), which typically sell for 160/kg, are now being sold for 200-300/ kg, depending on the size of the fish. The price of freshwater prawn (Vannamei Shrimp) has jumped from 300/kg to 400/kg. Sweet water fish Koramenu (Red Snapper), which was earlier sold for 600/kg, is now available in the markets for 700/kg. Similarly, the price of Matta Gidasa has increased from 300/kg to 400/kg. "Theprices of fresh and mud water fish are expected to rise due to non-availability of the popular varieties of sea fish on account of annual fishing ban in the summer," said Aruna, a fish vendor at Madhurawada in Vizag city. "High demand coupled with very limited supply of sea fish has pushed prices upwards," she added. Currently, major fishing harbours like Vizag, Kakinada, and few others, and landing centres in the state wear a deserted look due to a halt in fishing activities. Popular varieties of sea food such as silver pomfret, locally known as Chanduva, Vanjaram and Konam (small and big seer) and some varieties of prawn were almost unavailable in the open markets. In hotels and restaurants, price of some sea food delicacies have gone up due to shortage of stock in the market. In some hotels, the management have stopped serving sea food delicacies, and are offering only freshwater fish and prawn dishes. The availability of popular sea fish is very low and the prices of Vanjaram (seer fish) jumped from 600/kg to 800/kg in the retail markets. "Several fish varieties, particularly Koramenu fish and mud crabs ( 800-1,000/ kg) have become luxury items, and hence, beyond the reach of common people this summer. We have cut down the consumption by 20-30%," said V Ganesh, a private employee from Vizag city. Fish and prawn traders opined that the prices will increase in the coming days as the availability of the varieties is slowly decreasing following the rising temperature.
