CHENNAI: Despite much opposition, Greater Chennai Corporation has issued work orders for a storm water drain project in areas along East Coast Road, at a cost of ` 270.38 crore. The integrated storm water drain (ISWD) for Kovalam Basin, which proposes to have a network of 360 km is being done in three components.
The last component will have drains for 52 km along ECR, covering Palavakkam, Kottivakkam, Neelangarai, Injambakkam, Sholinganallur, Kanathur and Uthandi.
However, when the project was proposed, residents of areas like Palavakkam and Neelangarai questioned the need for a stormwater drain along the coast and strongly opposed it stating that this would only hinder water percolation. But a senior official from the Corporation confirmed that work orders had been issued for the project recently.
“Even during 2015 floods, there was no stagnation at Neelangarai as the soil here is permeable because it is a coastal region. Any project implemented here will stop percolation and further, cause flooding. Similar is the case in most areas along ECR. Officials had promised us that they will not implement the project. Even if work orders have been issued, we will not let them implement it here,” said M Sivakrumar, a former president of Sri Kapaleeswarar Nagar Welfare Association, Neelangarai.
Some residents of these areas suggested that instead of spending a huge sum on a project which is of no use to them, the civic body could spend on an underground sewerage system. With no sewer system, households will channel their sewage through SWD like in other areas, when it is constructed, they worry.
A Chennai Corporation official said they would be installing eco blocks and retention ponds to prevent silt and only allow excess water into the sea. “Also, we cannot say water does not stagnate near the sea as we witnessed stagnation near Marina during recent rain,” he said.
However, Sekhar Raghavan, a rainwater harvesting expert, said this infrastructure will be of no use. “Eco blocks will prevent silt for about eight months and once they get completely filled, they will no longer allow water to go down. It is only a momentary relief and there is no need for SWD anywhere on ECR as the complete area has sandy alluvial soil which has high absorption quality. Also, it is good there was water in Marina during recent rains. It means the groundwater table rose. The water will recede on its own within a week.”
Concurring, TD Babu, a marine bio-technologist from Besant Nagar said it is foolish to let the water into the sea and spend crores on its desalination. “They can build tanks to preserve this water, instead of damaging the ecology this way.”