City youth march to save marshlands
Youth organizations and activists held a 'March for the Marshlands' to protest the destruction of Nemmeli wetlands for a reservoir project. Protesters argue that the project ignores ecological concerns and disproportionately impacts marginalized communities.
Why it matters
The protest highlights the growing tension between infrastructure development and environmental conservation, particularly regarding climate resilience and social equity.
Volunteers belonging to more than 30 youth organisations from across the city took part in a “March for the Marshlands”, as part of the Save Nemmeli Marshlands campaign, on Saturday, demanding an end to the destruction of the city’s wetlands.
A press release here said the organisations demanded that the State government stop the work to create the Mamallan reservoir and take steps to save other marshlands.
Narayanan, a fisherman from Kovalam, said the march was to remind the public that the Nemmeli marshlands were living ecosystems, not vacant land awaiting development. They store floodwater, buffer storm surges, support fisheries, sustain biodiversity, and help cities adapt to climate change. Destroying them in the name of climate resilience was morally indefensible, he said.
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