Published in Dwarka Express on 10.12.23

Chennai is literally sinking due to unprecedented rains, rather multiple times of 2015. While cars were floating, boats were seen in roads, ferrying the stranded people. NASA predicts that cities like Chennai would sink by the year 2100. The fast-growing urban cities like Chennai are put to severe stress. Why Chennai alone is affected? Is it a deliberate act of cyclone to punish Chennai? It is not just a natural disaster, but human callousness!

Clogged Strom Water Drains

The common man does not apply his mind about the status of the land while purchasing a property. Most of the residential colonies came up either in lake or low-lying areas. Further, no serious concern was shown towards disappearing Strom Water Drains (SWD). If the flow of water in the SWDs is intruded by residential colonies, then where will the excessive rain water go? Sadly, the difference between the SWD and Sewerage drains is not understood. The result is apparent in the present inundation.

Marooned Marshlands

Not only this, the marshlands are also not spared by builders. Marshlands are the vital links in the ecosystem as they recharge the ground water by its spongy nature in addition to serving as home for millions of living organisms. Tamil Nadu has the largest number of marshlands, which is often lauded in global forums. Pichavaram and Vedanthangal near Chennai are the major marshlands, (also called Ramsar lands). Some of the marshlands are spared while many others are vanishing due to encroachment.

Lakes become layouts

Chennai’s major lakes like Puzhal, Korattur, Cholavaram, Chembarambakkam and Madhuranthagam which could feed the whole of Chennai were overflowing this time. During 2015 floods, Chembarambakkam was full and was posing a threat of flooding in Chennai. This time also it was slowly inching towards its maximum capacity level. Long ago, the lake is said to have fed 39 villages around it. Slowly the capacity was reduced to 60 % due to sedimentation, encroachment and trash dumping. As the lake is in upper terrain, obviously the excess water would flood the city if there is incessant rain.

Disappeared rivers

Chennai’s three major rivers, Kosasthalaiyar in north, Adyar in south, and Cooum in the middle are connected by the Buckingham canal, built in the 19th century for navigational purposes. Cooum turned into a foul-smelling drain long back. These rivers were once the lifelines of Chennai, but mushrooming slums with migratory population worsened the situation. No Govt has been able to bring back the past glory of these rivers.

Save the city from sinking

Periodical desilting and dredging besides revamping the existing common STP network could stop the flooding. SWDs should be rejuvenated and desilted on top priority and encroachments must be removed by exploring resettlement and rehabilitation of slum dwellers. A comprehensive revamp by bringing latest technology and modernizing existing sewer lines will alone help addressing the complex task looming large before Chennai. Simultaneously, a large-scale green cover is essential to absorb the heat and pollutants. Global warming due to El Nino condition further aggravates the frequency and harshness of the heat conditions. The carbon generated due to swelling automobiles and industries needs to be absorbed. Though in today’s complex situation, it appears to be a formidable task, it is feasible by strong political will coupled with efficient Govt machinery and need based fund allocation. The drone shots clearly portrayed the magnitude of devastation. It is all because we do not have scientific water management in place. There is no proper rain water harvesting in place. We have lost 1000s of lakes. Should we not create/restore the native, ecologically sound, resilient waterbodies management? Should we not identify the catchment areas and exploit them to the best available capacity? Looking at the present rate of inundation, it appears that Chennai might meet its destiny soon, if corrective steps are not taken on war footing. Prevention of disaster is better than managing it after it happens.