There is a familiar frame that runs through documentaries on India’s environmental crisis. It shows canals thick with plastic, water barely visible beneath layers of waste, banks lined with what cities have thrown away, plastic bottles, house waste, polythene bags.
When the camera lingers on such scenes, a certain discomfort kicks in, but it goes away once the scene moves on.
A three-kilometre stretch of the Buckingham Canal in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district could have been one of those frames. For years, it carried the same story: plastic bottles wedged into the mud, polythene bags caught along the edges, the water slowed to a near standstill. The canal had stopped functioning as a waterway.
Like many other canals in India, it had become a holding space for waste.
But here, the story did not stay that way.
The Tamil Nadu Forest Department established Chennai’s third mangrove forest along the Buckingham Canal, planting 20,000 mangrove seedlings across 20 hectares during 2025–26.
The project features an innovative fishbone structure designed to support healthy tidal flow essential for mangrove growth. Photograph: (The Hindu)
The project features an innovative fishbone structure designed to support healthy tidal flow essential for mangrove growth. According to an X post by IAS Supriya Sahu, “8 main fishbone canals have been created with 8 feeder canals and 186 distribution channels.” This engineering ensures proper water circulation, helping the saplings grow healthily.
Water now moves into the Pichavaram backwaters with renewed flow. Fish are returning. What was once a garbage-choked stretch is slowly becoming part of a living mangrove system again.
A canal choked, a community steps in
The revival began with the most visible problem: waste.
Around 600 villagers came together to remove nearly 750 kg of plastic from the canal. The work was manual and sustained, carried out in water that had long been written off. The waste was then handed over to the Killai Town Panchayat for proper disposal.
Only after clearing the canal did the restoration begin. Under the project, the stretch was desilted and excavated to restore its natural water-carrying capacity.
Then came the planting.
Under the project, the stretch was desilted and excavated to restore its natural water-carrying capacity Photograph: (X/@supriyasahuias)
Mangrove species like Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora apiculata, Avicennia marinaand Avicennia officinaliswere planted along both sides of the canal. These trees help stabilise shorelines, improve water flow, and slowly rebuild the surrounding ecosystem.
Rebuilding flow, restoring life
The impact is already visible.
Officials say the restoration has improved water circulation into the Pichavaram mangroves, strengthening the ecosystem. For around 50 Irula tribal fishing families, this translates into more stable livelihoods as fish populations begin to recover.
“What was once a plastic-choked and garbage-filled canal has bounced back. 3 km of clogged canal rejuvenated, 750 kg of plastic removed and 3,000 mangroves planted with community participation, creating a thriving ecosystem and strengthening coastal resilience,” Sahu said.
Hello Chennai here comes your third Mangrove Magic !
Along the Buckingham Canal, the Chennai Forest Division has planted 20,000 mangrove seedlings across 20 hectares during 2025–26. What you see here is the fishbone structure to support healthy tidal flow. 8 main fishbone… pic.twitter.com/e01fhd0X5e
— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) March 9, 2026
The initiative was led by the Cuddalore district administration, with coordination from the Forest Department and other agencies. On the ground, the work was carried out under Forest Range Officer Iqbal, supported by District Collector Sibi Adhithya and senior officials.
More than a one-off project
What makes this effort stand out is not just the outcome, but the order of action.
The project did not begin with planting. It began with clearing waste and restoring flow-steps often overlooked in favour of more visible interventions.
Because restoration does not end with planting.
Mangroves need protection as they grow. Canals need to remain clear. Without continued attention, the same cycle of neglect can return.
What other cities might see in this
Across India, canals tend to follow the same path. Garbage builds up, the water slows, and over time, they stop working. In Mumbai, clogged drains worsen flooding during the monsoon. In Kolkata, canals sit heavy with silt and waste.
This stretch of the Buckingham Canal offers a different way of looking at it.
The work did not begin with planting. It began with clearing what had piled up. Then the water was allowed to move again. Only after that did the rebuilding start. That sequence matters. And so does the role of the people living around these waterways. When they are involved, the work holds.
It is a simple approach. And it is something any city can follow.
