The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Encroachments on waterways a factor behind floods

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Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008
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Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Encroachments on waterways a factor behind floods

Kannal Achuthan

Canals should be deepened, widened, supported with flood protection walls: report

— Photo: M. Karunakaran

providing RESPITE: A heavy duty motor pumping out stagnant water on East Kamaraj Avenue in Thiruvanmiyur that suffered inundation after the recent rain.

Chennai: Encroachments on waterways have been identified as one of the major causes of inundation during heavy rains, according to a flood mitigation strategies report commissioned by the Chennai Corporation.

The civic body had commissioned private consultancy firm Aarvee Associates to study micro drains and waterways and submit a detailed proposal to seek funding from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission to upgrade infrastructure. The mega project is estimated to cost Rs.1,600 crore, Mayor M. Subramanian said.

The report, submitted to the civic body this month, said that the canals needed to be deepened and widened and supported with flood protection walls along a few stretches. Also, encroachments should be removed.

The study of the Virugambakkam watershed area showed that the banks of the canal were heavily encroached upon.

The discharge of water from the Virugambakkam canal reached a maximum of 1,700 cubic feet per second (cusecs) during the 2005 floods, inundating Chinmaya Nagar, Sai Nagar, MMDA Colony, Arumbakkam and Choolaimedu. The Otteri Nullah and Captain Cotton Canal watershed areas were also encroached, the report said. Renovation of the Veerangal Odai would be required to mitigate flooding in Puzhithivakkam, Madipakkam, Ram Nagar, Saraswathi Nagar and AGS Colony.

Tank renovation

The study also emphasised the need to renovate tanks in the Chennai metropolitan area, to capture flood water for delayed release. It listed water bodies such as Ambattur, Ayappakkam, Ayanambakkam, Arapatheri, Koladi, Korattur, Kadaperi, Peerkankaranai, Irumbuliyur, Pallikaranai, Kovilambakkam, Porur and Tambaram tanks for improvements.

Madipakkam resident and civic activist V. Subramani said the tanks would serve as mini reservoirs of rainwater and help to mitigate floods. With more and more developments in suburbs, the flood channels of tanks get encroached and localities were inundated every year. A few years ago, the tanks were given to the Metrowater for maintenance but their charge was handed back to the Public Works Department. Government agencies need to realise the value of these water bodies, he said.

S. Kumararaja, secretary, Federation of Velachery Welfare Associations, said that every year political leaders made visits to flood-affected areas but the problems continued. The State government, instead of doling out relief funds, could use the money to develop infrastructure to prevent flooding in Velachery, he said.

West Velachery residents said that new stormwater drains constructed by the Corporation did not have the capacity to drain water during heavy rains as water flowed from several other localities into it.

The drains needed to be networked and provided with the right gradient for water flow, they said.

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