Saving water bodies, a community mission in several suburbs

Arappor Iyakkam and Megasool Trust organised this citizen’s initiative called ‘Reclaim our Waterways’. Jayaram Venkatesan from Arappor Iyakkam, said, “We want transparency from the government. The social audit will be prepared and presented to various civic bodies. We will pressurise the PWD and other agencies to complete the work before the monsoon. In Chembarambakkam lake and Poondi reservoirs, funds have been allotted for de-silting work. But what about the other water bodies and big tunnels? The Mugalivakkam channel has been silted up to the road level and is filled with garbage.” 

Jayaram pointed that there are many incomplete projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. “The Okkiyam Madavu to Buckingham canal to carry 3500 cusecs of water has been dropped. For the work on Otteri Nullah, Kodungaiyur drain, 62 crores have been spent but the work has not been completed due to encroachments,” he added.

S Janakarajan, Professor, Madras Institute of Development Studies said the flood in Chennai is due to the neighbouring districts of Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram. “Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram should be integrated as a watershed and declared as an ecologically sensitive zone,” he concluded.