Is Chennai ready to face the rains, ask residents

They arrived by the hundreds for Kelu Chennai Kelu, a public hearing organised by Arappor Iyakkam, where representatives of almost 20 areas spoke about the challenges faced during the 2015 December deluge and, in the presence of government officials, raised questions about the preparations for this year’s monsoon. Sunil Jayaram of Chitlapakkam Rising pointed out that the two lakes in the area – Chitalapakkam and Sembakkam lakes – were poorly maintained. “The lakes have shrunk in size over the years, due to heavy encroachment and lack of desilting. Garbage has been dumped and sewage let into these lakes,” he rued. 

The problem of inundation and attendant woes could be avoided if officials did their duty well, said Arunagiri, a representative of the Federation of Residents Associations of Mugalivakkam and Manapakkam, said, “Maintain our canals and desilt our water bodies. No preventive measures appear to have been taken as even after mild rains, there is severe water stagnation,” he added. 

Residents of other areas, like V Santhanam, President of Federation of Civic and Welfare Associations of Pallavaram came armed with data. “Out of 42 wards in Pallavaram, 40 were damaged during 2015 deluge. Yet, the storm water drains have not been cleared and the culverts are blocked, causing massive traffic congestion on the GST road, during rains,” he said. 

Greater Chennai Corporation’s Executive Engineer Thirumurugan, who took a note of the complaints, said, “We will take necessary action on these complaints. In places where I am not in charge, I will inform the officials concerned.” The MLA of Chepauk, J Anbalagan, also listened to the people’s complaints. 

Former civil servant M G Devasahayam said, “The reason for December floods was due to lack of disaster preparedness and encroachments. Centralisation of decision making with respect to maintaining canals is a problem.” Jayaram Venkatesan, Convenor of Arappor Iyakkam, said, “ We have been pushing the Public Works Department (PWD), which is in charge of major desilting efforts, for the steps taken but have received no response,” he concluded.