Chennai: There was a clamour for removing encroachments and desilting of water bodies immediately after the December deluge in the city. But, experts feel that the situation has not changed and Chennai will witness the same situation again, if the monsoon showers are heavy this year too.
The city has received more rain during the south-west monsoon than the average, but the summer showers have not been utilised to store water since the water bodies have not been desilted. .
Continuous rain in December last year and 49 cm of rain in a single day led to a deluge in the city as water from Chembarambakkam lake, besides the water bodies in the northern part of Kanchipuram through Mudichur and Tambaram flooded Adyar river.
Though, the huge quantity of rain in a short period was one of the reasons for the flood, experts and social activists felt that encroachments in water bodies and catchment areas was one of the major reasons. They also sought desilting of water bodies to increase storage.
Environmentalists feel that last year’s situation will return again, if the north-east monsoon is heavy this year too. Environmentalist Nityanand Jayaram said “Stormwater drains are being laid now. But, even if proper storm water drains are built throughout the city in a planned and honest manner, the flood could not be stopped. Encroachments are a major cause of floods and government has not stopped them.”
A revenue department office had come up in Pallikaranai lake, besides government buildings in Kosasthalayar river, a major water drain for the city. The Kovalam estuary had been encroached by fisheries department. All these encroachments had been committed by government in the last six months, he said.
