Once a vital waterway weaving through Chennai with clean, flowing water, the Buckingham Canal now lies stagnant and choked with pollutants, revealing the dire state of urban water management. Recent water samples from the canal show dangerously high levels of fecal contamination and toxic pollutants, yet a full-scale cleanup effort is still pending.
Water analysis conducted by social activist O Unnikrishnan revealed that fecal coliform levels in the canal have soared to 1,600 MPN/100 ml, nearly seven times the permissible limit of 230 MPN/100 ml as set by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2019. Other parameters reflect an equally grim picture: biological oxygen demand (BOD) is at 123 mg/l (standard: 10 mg/l), chemical oxygen demand (COD) at 516 mg/l (standard: 50 mg/l), and total suspended solids (TSS) at 1,806 mg/l, far above the acceptable 20 mg/l threshold.
Beyond pollution, the canal has turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes due to stagnant sewage and garbage deposits, prompting health concerns for nearby residents. “The canal that once had a depth of 6 feet below sea level now stands 3 feet above due to layers of waste,” Unnikrishnan pointed out in his representation to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), Greater Chennai Corporation, and Water Resources Department (WRD).
Despite the alarming situation, immediate remedial action is slow to materialize. TNPCB, the statutory body responsible for environmental protection, has yet to intervene directly, awaiting restoration work to be undertaken by the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT). According to TNPCB officials, a detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared to guide the canal’s revival.
The plan includes building sewage treatment plants (STPs), modular STPs, and laying underground sewer lines in unserved regions to prevent untreated sewage from flowing into the canal. The state government has already approved ₹1,281.88 crore for the comprehensive restoration of Buckingham Canal along with key drainage channels linked to the Adyar and Cooum rivers.
However, the urgency is underlined by comparative data: TNPCB recently told the NGT that water from Adyar near the Eco-Park showed 1,026 MPN/100 ml of fecal coliform—a number significantly lower than that of Buckingham Canal, making the latter even more severely polluted.
Unnikrishnan has urged authorities to treat his representation under Section 9(1) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, calling for stricter compliance to NGT norms in the discharge of treated sewage. The canal, a heritage waterbody and once a lifeline of the city, now awaits not just funds and reports—but swift, effective action to prevent further ecological and public health damage.