Tholkappia Poonga - Early Phase

Early Phase

An estimated not more than 500 acres of undisturbed tropical dry evergreen forest remains in Tamil Nadu and the eco-park, aiming at the restoration of more than 350 acres, serves as a significant conservation effort to bring this vegetation back to the Coromandel coast. The eco-park was conceptualized by M. P. Vijayakumar, the then commissioner of the Chennai Corporation, in 2004. In a bid to take up ecological restoration of the Adyar estuary, the Tamil Nadu Government constituted the Adyar Poonga Trust in October 2006 and entrusted the work of preparing an ecological restoration plan with Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants of Auroville in February 2007. The ecological restoration aimed at an eco-park that will be a showcase ecosystem of the Coromandel Coast with fresh water ponds, brackish areas, mangroves, mud flats, dunes, and islands.

The improvement did not begin until clearance in June 2004. Once completed, it is claimed to become the first eco-tourism venture in the state. A major portion of the boundary wall for the park was built by the Chennai Corporation in 2006 at a cost of 15 million, while the remaining improvements could not be carried out owing to encroachments on the land. The area before restoration used to be a filthy place, with debris strewn around. Cattle was being reared by neighbouring slum dwellers and antisocials 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 park. Following action by the civic body, the squatters of Rajah Gramani Thottam were removed and allotted to Slum Clearance Board tenements in Semmencherry in early July 2007. The issue was also taken up by the members of the Corporation Council. As a result, the remaining portion of compound wall was made higher.