Chennai’s Waterbodies Are Fast Vanishing
About two decades ago, IIT Madras estimated that about 650 waterbodies existed in the Chennai region. More than half of them were located south of River Adyar. At present, most of the waterbodies within the city have vanished and only a few remain in the immediate periphery.
According to records of the Water Resources Department (WRD), the area of 19 major lakes has been shrunk from a total of 1,130 hectares to nearly 645 hectares and hence reduced their storage capacity. S. Narayanan, treasurer of Kazura Garden Residents’ Welfare Association, Neelankarai, recalled that there were over 13 waterbodies in the area until a few decades ago. Now there are only two lakes. “Many of them have been encroached upon and buildings have come up. There are only two lakes now. Even a pond in our colony has been encroached,” he said.
The consequence of this rapid loss of waterbodies has not only reduced the extent of collective water harvesting, but also severely impacted flood management within the city. The principal cause of local flooding in many areas, it emerges, is the mismanagement of waterbodies and impairment of linking canals. For instance, the Virugambakkam drain, which was 6.5 km long and drained into the Nungambakkam tank, is now present only for an of extent of 4.5 km.
This phenomenon is now repeating in the suburbs. The surplus channels connecting various waterbodies in western suburbs such as Ambattur and Korattur have been encroached upon. The waterbody in Mogappair has almost disappeared. Lake beds often serve as make shift dumping yards and cesspool. This has resulted in inundation of neighbouring localities.
The waterbodies in Madhavaram and Korattur can be fully restored. The water resources along with that in Ambattur and Porur could be used as storage points as they would have a capacity of 600 million cubic feet of water. Once rejuvenated, the 19 waterbodies would have a combined storage capacity of 1,000 mcft. At present, the city reservoirs have a storage capacity of 11,000 mcft, officials of the Water Resources Department said.
The department is also in the process of improving the waterways and surplus courses and creating straight cut canals from various waterways to the Cooum under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. This could substantially improve flood management within the city, officials added.
Source: The Hindu
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[...] Water Resource Department is planning to lay approximately 11 km and seven meter wide road along this canal. This canal is 17.3 km-long canal and extends from Central railway station to Ennore creek. The cost of this project under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is worth Rs 9 crore. [...]
[...] Thus Water Resources Department has planned to improve the surplus course of the water body in Korattur and link it to Madhavaram tank. This channel is of 2.6 km long and runs along residential localities. The cost of this project is worth Rs 25.65 crore. [...]
[...] Thus Water Resources Department has planned to improve the surplus course of the water body in Korattur and link it to Madhavaram tank. This channel is of 2.6 km long and runs along residential localities. The cost of this project is worth Rs 25.65 crore. [...]