CHAPTER 2

STUDY AREA - MARINA BEACH

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Chennai (formerly called “MADRAS”), the capital of Tamilnadu is one

of the oldest presidential cities in India, the 3rd largest port and the 4th largest
Metropolis of the country. Chennai district is located in the northeast comer of
the Tamilnadu state and is bounded by Bay of Bengal in the east and Chengai
district in all other directions. Elevation of the ground varies from mean sea
level to 10m above mean sea level rising gradually towards the west. The

district is bounded by north latitudes 12°59T0" and 13°08'50'' and east

longitudes 80° 10' and 80°20'. It has an area of 170.4 km2 with a population of

of 3,841,306 (DCO, 1991) with a projected population of 4,82,97,456 together

with a considerable floating population.

2.2 GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY

Chennai district forms part of Tamilnadu coastal plains. Major part of

the district is having flat topography with a very gentle slope towards east.
Chennai is underlain by various geological formations from the ancient
Archeans to the recent alluvium (Fig. 2.1, Table 2.1). The geological
formations of the district can be grouped into three units (1) Archean
crystalline rocks, (2) consolidated Gondwana and Tertiary sediments and (3)
recent alluvium.
 35

80 00 80 05 80 80 80 20

Legend

Gondwana

551" Tertiary

Alluvium
*j ■<- p ' ^ > S

Archaean

12°
50T
Fig. 2.1 Map showing Geology of Chennai
(Source: GSI, 1996)
 36

Table 2.1 Geology of Adyar and Cooum river basin

Group System Composition

Quaternary Sub-recent to Recent Alluvium
Tertiary Eocene to Pliocene Sandstones
Mesozoic Lower Cretaceous to Shales and sandstones
lower Jurassic
Azoic Archean Chamockites, Granite and
Gneisses
Source: CGWB (1993)

2.2.1 Archean crystalline

The archean crystalline rocks of the Chennai district comprises chiefly

of chamockites, gneisses and the associated basic and ultra basic intrusives.

The chamockites represent the major rock type in the area extending from

Saidapet to Royapuram. The chamockites also contribute to the residual hills

around Pallavaram, St.Thomas mount and Vandalur.

The crystalline rocks are weathered and jointed fractures. The degree

and depth of weathering varies from place to place and the thickness of

weathered mantle varies from less than a metre to about 12m in the district.

There are more than 2 sets of joints in the crystalline rocks. The War

Memorial, 2 km south of Adyar river is located on crystalline rocks.

2.2.2 Gondwana and tertiary sediments

These rocks are seen along the Adyar river bed outside Madras, but no

exposures are observed in the city. The Gondwana sediments are represented

by sandstones, shales and clays. The Gondwana shales are exposed in Adyar

river near Ramavaram and the Gondwana crystalline contact is probable fault
 37

contact, concealed by alluvium. The Gondwana shales are black to dark grey
in colour and are jointed / fractured. The tertiary sediments are reddish brown
to greyish white in colours friable and mottled. The occurrence of tertiaries in
Madras, is not well demarcated. However, the sandstones encountered in some
of the bore holes below alluvium in Binny road, Poes Garden, Anna Nagar and
Royapuram areas are different from the compact dark coloured shales of
Gondwana group which may belong to this tertiary group.

2.2.3 Recent alluvium

It covers the major part of the district but for the localised crystalline
pockets in south Chennai in Gandhi Mandapam and Saidapet railway station
area. The alluvium consists of sand, silt and clays. The thickness of alluvium
varies from place to place and a maximum of 28m is encountered in north
Chennai near Perambur. Kilpauk water works area has 24m thick alluvium.
The alluvial clays of Cooum basin, is brownish black in colour and very plastic
in nature. This alluvium is underlain by the crystalline complex of chamockites
- granitic gneiss suite of rocks along the eastern and southern margins at depths
ranging from 10 to 30 m below ground level (Ballukraya and Ravi, 1995).
Fluvial marine and erosional land forms are noticed in the district. Marine
transgressions and regressions and neo-tectonic activity during the recent past
have influenced the morphology and resulted in various present land forms. A
number of water bodies existed in the district in the early period were filled up
with garbage (Valluvar Kottam area). The sand dunes and beach ridges were
converted into residential areas. The marshy land and lagoon existing north of
Adyar river are also slowly transforming into built up area. Marina beach, the
most natural beach in the world is also encroached by human activities.
 38

2.3 CLIMATE

The Chennai urban area has a tropical maritime climate. The

temperature varies between 20.4°C and 41°C. The normal annual rainfall of
the city is approximately 1300 mm. The weather patterns are dominated by the
north-east monsoon and south-west monsoon. City experiences two monsoon
periods namely south-west monsoon, active from mid-June to mid-September
and north-east monsoon, active from mid-October to mid-December. Of these
two monsoons, north-east monsoon contributes about 60% of the total rainfall.
The humidity is usually between 59 and 83%. The city has a minimum of 1
km/hr and to a maximum of 11 km/hr of wind speed.

2.4 LANDUSE

The forest cover in Chennai district is only 300 ha (1.8%) and the rest
(98.2%) is used for industrial and residential purposes. The residential area can
be grouped as prime residential, commercial and slum areas (Table 2.2). Some
privately owned land includes education, health, social organisation, etc. There
is a heavy concentration of educational institutions in the Chennai city in
respect of school, collegiate and technical education. There are 253 higher
secondary schools, 32 collegiate education (Arts and Science, Teacher
Training, Oriental and Physical Education colleges), 50 technical educational
institutions (Engineering, Medical, Para-medical, Veterinary, Law and
Polytechnics), 6 major Government hospitals, 4 referral hospitals, 10 speciality
institutions (whose wastes are potentially hazardous), 84 health posts
(Maternity and Child Welfare centres and Urban Family Welfare centres),
hospitals for Police, Defence, Railway, Port Trust, Jail, etc., 257 private
general hospitals, 45 private specialised hospitals and innumerable clinics.
 39

Table 2.2 Landuse structure at Chennai in 1991

Landuse Extent (ha) %

Primary residential 8138.40 47.74
Commercial 1183.91 6.94
Institutional 4769.60 27.98
Industrial 918.14 5.38
Open space and Recreational 1080.29 6.34
Agricultural 248.38 1.46
Non-Urban 104.82 0.62
Vacant 603.85 3.54
Total 17047.39 100.00
Source: MMDA (1995)

Thus, the major land area is used for residential purposes. At present,

city consists of 8 sewerage zones with 55 pumping stations and 4 treatment

plants. The present problem of sewerage disposal in the city is that (1) only a

part of the city area is served by sewers; (2) much sewage enters and pollute

the natural water courses of the city causing foul smell and health hazards; (3)

the sewage is let into the sea through outfalls; and (4) the sewers often get

clogged with solid wastes dumped into the manholes and by the accumulation

of silt.

2.5 INDUSTRIES

A variety of industries have developed all around the city. The

industrial group in Chennai district are electricity, gas, water, manufacture of

rubber, plastic, petroleum and coal products, manufacture of transport

equipments and parts, manufacture of machinery, tools, manufacture of paper

and paper products, printing and allied industries, manufacture of metal

products, distilleries, chemicals, refineries, rubber factories and fertilisers. As

 40

per 1993 census, there are about 1591 small, medium and large scale industries
in the city. The industrial toxic wastes and municipal sewage, uninterrupted
flow of sullage and organic and solid wastes from hutments on either bank,
large scale defaecation on the banks and slopes cause severe pollution and
degradation of the receiving waters. The river water quality is highly
deteriorated and bad odour, foul smell are emanating freely from them.

2.6 MARINA BEACH

Marina beach is the most natural, second largest beach in the world with
a width varying from 150 to 600 m and has a length of approximately 5.6 km.
It is a famous tourist spot and more than a million tourists visit this place every
year. This site is located south of and close to Madras harbour. On the north
of this site, the river Cooum confluences with Bay of Bengal. The shore line
lies oriented in N-S direction. The beach enjoys accretion owing to its location
on the updrift side i.e., south of harbour. The beach face opposite to the
Presidency college has grown to a distance of 80 m. Since in most parts of a
year, the littoral drift direction is southerly, the littoral sand is trapped in
Chennai harbour and the southern end of this site. This results in the mouth of
Cooum river almost always choked up by shoal formation and the beach
ending up as an ever accreting one.

In 1937, the effect of Chennai harbour was felt on this beach as

accretion only for a distance of 3 km. But due to the continued developmental
activities since then in this harbour, the accretion is now causing menace to
river mouth of Adyar which is situated about 5 km south of Chennai harbour.
In the 50 years period since 1937, this site has accreted 75 acres or more at an
average growth rate of 1.7 m/yr on the beach face (Kaliasundaram et al, 1991).
 41

There are no industries along the Marina Beach coastal belt. However,
north of Marina beach is occupied by a number of large and medium scale
industries which include petrochemicals, fertilisers, oil refineries, power
stations, etc., (Table 2.3).

Table 2.3 Industries in north Chennai coastal area discharging

treated / untreated effluents into the sea

No. Industry Volume of waste

water (Kid)
1. Ennore Thermal Power Plant, Ennore 154000
2. Carborundum Universal Ltd., Thiruvottiyur 21000
3. Manali Petrochemicals Ltd., Manali 2400
4. E.I.D.Parry (India) Ltd., Ennore 1728
5. Tamilnadu Petroproducts Ltd., Manali 1016
6. Indian Organic Chemicals, Manali 1000
7. Kothari Chemicals (P). Ltd., Manali 900
8. Shri Ram Fibres Ltd., Manali 350
9. Madras Rubber Factory 170
10. I.C.I. Ltd., Ennore 72
11. National Carbon Co. 10
12. Sewage: Chennai Corporation 7000
Source: Daniel (1987)

The trade effluents discharged into the coastal waters are carried to the
south by littoral currents. Besides, Marina beach is polluted by discharges
from Cooum and Adyar rivers. The port activities also contribute significantly
to the coastal pollution.

2.6.1 Tide and wave conditions

The average tidal levels vary from 1.85 to 0.73 m for spring tides and
1.49 to 1.02 m for neap tides. The observed maximum tidal level in Chennai is
 42

about 2.3 m. The tide is semi-diurnal, each tidal cycle taking approximately
half a day. High amplitude short waves are very common in the region.
Observations indicate that waves of amplitude 0.5 to 1.5 m can occur in a
period of 5 to 10 seconds (MMDA, 1993). Littoral drift along the coast moves
sand from south to north that results in the formation of sand bars across the
mouths of river entering Bay of Bengal in Chennai.

2.7 RIVERS

The Cooum and Adyar are the two principal non-perennial rivers that
run across the city. The Cooum runs through the middle of the city from west
to east and almost bisects the city into two halves while the Adyar is in south.
The water courses are polluted only within the city limits and are used as open
sewers due to innumerable outfall of sewer - storm water interconnections and
by Cheimai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) at a
number of points. Nearly 40,000 hut dwellers are living along Cooum and
Adyar river banks at several locations. These hut dwellers rear cattle and the
dung, etc., also find their entry into the river.

2.7.1 Adyar river

It originates as two small streams beyond Tambaram and assumes the

proportions of a river only after the confluence of the surplus course of
Chemparapakkam tank near Thiruneermalai that drain the upstream area of
Chemparapakkam tank. It is a small river of 42 km length and a catchment of
860 km2 of which about 300 km2 lie in the Chemparapakkam subbasin. There

are 450 minor irrigation tanks in its basin of which 219 are in the
Chemparapakkam group. The surplus water causes flood in this river. A total
 43

of 58 drain outlets discharge into Adyar between the stretch of Jafferkhanpet

and Thriu.Vi.Ka. bridge. About 0.775 mid of industrial effluents carrying
heavy metals and about 8.1 mid of domestic sewage are allowed to flow into
Adyar (Nammalwar and Pakshirajan, 1995). Thus Adyar river is contributing
to coastal pollution by transporting a wide range of pollutants through land
drainage.

2.7.2 Cooum river

It originates from the surplus waters from the Cooum tank in

Thiruvallore taluk. The catchment of the river is about 290 km studded with
140 tanks. The length of the river is about 65 km of which 18 km fall within
the city limits (Sundaresan, 1986). It makes a tortuous course from west to
east within the city of Chennai. The Cooum could float a 50 ton ship but at a
later stage, it became stagnant due to the building of two anicuts namely
Kesavaram anicut and Aranvayal anicut. The second problem that affects the
river, stems from the human activity i.e., construction of a pier by the British
East India Company to reduce the damage caused to merchant goods during
the time of unloading. The construction of artificial harbour obstructed the
littoral drift of the Bay of Bengal which resulted in the erosion of seacoast on
the northern side of the harbour and accretion of sand on the southern side.
During this time, the coastline was very close to the Fort as well as to the other
buildings. With the accretion of sand, the sea began to recede. New land area
were added in the vicinity of the Cooum river mouth. The present Marina was
not in existence during the 1700’s. (Azariah and Azariah, 1987). There are 9
bridges placed across the river Cooum within the city limits. Beginning from
Aminjikarai, it passes through Chetpet, Egmore and Chintadripet. Just lower
down the Law's Bridge, it bifurcates and one arm joins the Buckingham canal
 44

from the north and the other arm of the Cooum again joins near the Napier
bridge. Finally the river empties itself into the Bay of Bengal. A depth of 3-5
feet is always found at the centre of the river from Anderson bridge right upto
the Napier bridge where the depth is slightly higher (5-6 feet). Silt deposition
from storm water drains entering the river is very great and it is at its
maximum between Wellington and Napier bridge.

The human activities i.e., construction of anicuts and artificial harbour

have reduced the flow of water on one side and blocked the mixing of fresh
water with the river water on the sea side. In 1949, Cooum sustained a total
number of 49 species of fish (Ganapathy, 1964). According to a survey
conducted by Azariah and Azariah (1987) in 1975-79, a total number of about
21 species of fishes were recorded only after the monsoon period. As the level
of oxygen went below critical level and due to the decomposition of organic
matter, the fishes were eliminated.

About 158 sewage / sullage / stormwater outlets of CMWSSB bring raw

sewage and sullage water into Cooum river. About 0.252 mid of industrial
effluents carrying heavy metals and about 69.3 mid of domestic sewage are
released into the Cooum river (Nammalwar and Pakshirajan, 1995). Thus,
Cooum river is contributing to coastal pollution by transporting a wide range
of pollutants through land drainage.
 45

2.8 OBJECTIVES

Considering the above, an attempt was made in the present study to

• investigate the nature of fluctuations of physico-chemical

characteristics of water and sediments of Cooum and Adyar rivers
that contribute significantly to coastal pollution.

• estimate the heavy metal pollution (cadmium, lead and zinc) in

coastal and river waters and sediments.

• estimate water discharges of the two rivers and to assess the

massload of suspended sediments, certain nutrients (nitrate,
phosphate and ammonia) and selected heavy metals (cadmium, lead
and zinc) transported into the coastal waters.

• estimate the usefulness of UV absorption in characterising the nature

of pollution and its relationship with salinity the inorganic species
i.e., nitrate.

• study the sediment grain size characteristics and clay mineralogy of

fluvio-marine environments to decipher the depositional
environments and physico-chemical processes.