CHENNAI: In light of the destruction that lay in the wake of Cyclone Michaung in the city two months ago, a citizen-led audit report was released on Sunday highlighting the measures that need to be implemented to mitigate flood damages going forward. The report prepared by Makkal Medai, a collective of citizens and resident welfare associations in Chennai and its suburbs, highlighted the reasons for flooding and recommended localised solutions.
The report was released during ‘Kelu Chennai Kelu’ public meeting held at Valluvar Kottam. As part of the audit, as many as 17 worst flood-affected areas were studied and inputs were elicited from the residents. Encroachments in and along waterbodies, unmilled roads, lack of desilting and missing links of stormwater drains are highlighted as the major reasons for flooding.
Chidambaram, a resident of Thiruverkadu, alleged that his street was flooded as the height of the main road had increased by several inches over the years. “The local bodies should adhere to rules while laying roads and ensure that the road height is matched properly,” he further added.
In Perumbakkam, one of the worst-affected areas, narrow waterways and conversion of marshlands for industrial and residential purposes were the major causes of the flooding. “Even in the latest maps, the marsh area in Perumbakkam is marked for industrial usage. The government should, at least now, stop changing land classification,” said Dayanand Krishnan, a GIS expert.
The residents also alleged that the water bodies are being rampantly encroached upon as the authorities turn a blind eye to all related violations. T T Sambandam, a resident of Pammal said a lake named ‘Moongil Eri’ is almost non-existent now as 90% of the lake is under encroachment. “Pammal had five lakes, but only one survives. The few remaining lakes in the city need to be revived from encroachments to prevent flooding,” he further added.
Tambaram MLA S R Raja took part in the public meeting and assured the residents that he would take their demands to the state government. “Our government is mindful of the needs of the public and we will implement more measures to prevent flooding,” he said.
Meanwhile, activists call for the constitution of a special high-powered committee to take credible action against encroachers. “The state government should not go soft on encroachers, and must take action against them irrespective of their affiliation. Canals need to be restored, and water bodies need to be desilted, deepened and strengthened to prevent future flooding,” said Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of Arappor Iyakkam.