The Women Lawyers’ Association has appealed to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to shelve the proposed Mamallan Reservoir project, arguing that it would threaten the livelihoods of nearly 7,000 artisanal fisherwomen and affect a biodiverse coastal wetland ecosystem along the Kovalam–Nemmeli region. 

In a representation, the association said fisherfolk from more than 16 villages depend on the coastal wetlands and backwaters in the project area for their livelihood. It noted that while men largely fish at sea, thousands of women harvest prawns, crabs, oysters, and other species from the shallow wetlands using traditional hand-catching methods. 

The petition contended that the proposed reservoir would convert around 5,000 acres of coastal wetland and salt-pan landscape into a freshwater storage facility, disrupting a brackish-water ecosystem that sustains local fishing communities. It warned that loss of access to the wetlands could force many women into precarious employment and migration. 

The association also highlighted the ecological significance of the wetland complex, stating that the area serves as a habitat for migratory and resident bird species and lies within the Central Asian Flyway. It further argued that the reservoir could alter natural hydrology, block tidal exchange, and increase flood risks in parts of southern Chennai.