Chennai - Waterways Cleaning and Restoration Project Updates

[ezhilan81]

Well right now the govt is forming a strategy to reduce the width of the entire river by building expressways, MRTS and roads. So eventually the total cleaning area is going to come down...making things easier. So one day we might see clean canals running across the city

[kannan infratech]

Originally Posted by ezhilan81

Well right now the govt is forming a strategy to reduce the width of the entire river by building expressways, MRTS and roads. So eventually the total cleaning area is going to come down...making things easier. So one day we might see clean canals running across the city

River irundhathane clean pannanum.

River e illama pannitta

Superb Idea.

Sathama sollathenga. Idhaye panninalum panniduvanga.

[satchitananda]

Idhu futuristic idea ille.. already WIP.

In the name of MRTS, Buckingham canal is RIP.. and in the name of cooum restoration, all the banks and the waterway is already occupied. If something good is salvaged, then it will be a miracle.

[vinodgopal]

better to bury the river alive than to see it raped out of shape

[satchitananda]

The Water Resources Department (WRD) is planning to carry out flushing of the Cooum river in a few days with the surplus water from Poondi reservoir.

The water level in the reservoir has improved considerably in the recent rain and the authorities decided to use the surplus to clean the waterway. “Instead of letting out the excess water into the sea, we have decided to divert the water to Cooum and clean a 30-km stretch of the waterway,” an official of WRD said.

Usually during good monsoon, water is transmitted to Chembarampakkam reservoir through a 25-km link canal from Poondi and from there any excess joins the Adyar river. This year, it has been decided to divert a portion of water discharged to Chembarampakkam when the water level at Poondi touches 34 feet.

At present, the level is 33.49 ft. The diversion would happen at the 14th km point of the link canal near Korattur anicut (between Tiruvallur and Poonamallee), an official said.

The flushing of the Cooum river would help to improve its water quality and recharge groundwater in the adjoining areas. At present, the Poondi reservoir is receiving about 600 cubic feet per second (cusecs). The department had carried out similar operation during December last year.

The vents of Chembarampakkam reservoir may also be opened in a few days if the catchment areas receive heavy spell of rain. The water level is 21 feet against its full level of 24 feet.

Rainfall predicted
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department said that the city would experience a few spells of rain or thundershower on Thursday as the trough of low pressure extending from Comorin area to west central Bay off south Andhra coast persists.

On Wednesday, the observatories in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded marginal rainfall.

For the 24 hours ending 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the rainfall recorded in Tambaram was 58.4 mm, followed by 36 mm at Meenambakkam and 29 mm in Nungambakkam.

In the southern suburbs of Chennai, the continuous downpour caused severe problems to road-users as stretches of important roads have either been badly damaged or remain under water.

Due to poor quality of road restoration works as part of the ongoing underground drainage project in Tambaram Municipality, streets in residential localities are in a deplorable condition.

For pedestrians, it is a harrowing experience walking past the Tambaram railway level crossing to reach Velachery Main Road and Grand Southern Trunk Road.

They have little option but to wade through stagnant water mixed with sewage near the level crossing (which has been closed after the completion of the road over bridge).

M. Karikalan, Tambaram Municipality Chairman, inspected the work to bale out stagnant water from subway adjacent the level-crossing on Wednesday.

Obstructions were also cleared around the stormwater drain along GST Road.

Kancheepuram
The Kancheepuram District Disaster Management Plan was initiated to prevent any kind of calamity during the north east monsoon, according to Collector A.Sivashanmuga Raja.

Speaking to reporters , he said officials of all government departments were briefed and asked to be on high alert. Revenue officials and staff of the Block Development Offices, in addition to town panchayats and municipalities, were specifically instructed to monitor lakes and tanks.

The Collector made an inspection of Selaiyur and Nanmangalam lakes in addition to other waterbodies in Tambaram, Alandur and Sholinganallur taluks in the southern suburbs of Chennai along with Environment Minister andTambaram MLA.

Tiruvallur
Tiruvallur Collector Ashish Chatterjee has directed officials to check bunds of lakes and tanks in the district for leakage and initiate steps to strengthen weak bunds.

Addressing a meeting of officials chaired by Handlooms Minister B.V. Ramana at Tiruvallur on Wednesday, the Collector also instructed the officials to intimate general public well in advance in case they decide to release excess water from lakes.

He asked them to release excess water, if necessary, only during daytime.

SOURCE:
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Sensible Move

[sshivakumar]

Originally Posted by satchitananda

Sensible Move

Good news, some one is using their brains.

[barrykul]

Originally Posted by ramvaradan

There was a good line in a military debate in US, "You can only take a path from where you are, not where you wish you were."

Yes, but it ain't rocket science nor are there no precedents about how it should be done. Countries like Singapore have done them aeons ago. Let us not blame IT buildings either. Look, it does not take much to clean up. The same damn Indians are law abiding when they go abroad to countries like US, Singapore, etc. In the Delhi Metro example they are on their best behaviour/practice to keep things clean and orderly. Traffic in the Mumbai Sea Bridge is orderly. Yes, the same damn Indians have the wherewithal to change. Why can't they keep their own city in shape, you don't need adult supervision. It is frustrating to see people behave uncouth in public, by throwing garbage wherever, peeing/defacating on road sides, spitting paan, tossing coffee, etc.

For Chennai, it starts at the top, CM, Chief Secretary (yes, these bloody blokes hardly do a conscientious/responsible job, they treat it as another avenue to mint money instead), Police Chief, Mayor, etc. I am sure there are umpteen laws to prevent garbage to be thrown into streets, the police can easily make a few examples out of perpetrators and instill fear. The city mayor can make an attempt to prevent any sewage runoff into rivers by buildings/factories/etc. These are are common sense governance rules. They can for a change do their jobs instead of giving inane speeches or ribbon cutting ceremonies. It can be done and it really does not take much. Once you start the process you would be amazed how quickly people adapt to the new norms just like they adapt in Delhi Metro or Singapore or US or Mumbai Bridge.

[inchennai]

You would expect, by now, that the Indian Govt system, gets the message that the way things are done need to be drastically changed. What is the function of the Govt for civic duties? They have to manage sanitation, garbage, provide water and electricity, upkeep roads, rid the sidewalks of squatters/polluters, enforce basic law and order, etc. None of these seem to work. Recently in the city of Chennai, garbage collection has worsened. The whole place is one big pig sty. Gone are the garbage cans and the private agency that used to collect the mountains of trash. Instead it has reverted back to the municipal garbage collectors who do not do their jobs. TN/Chennai is fast becoming a terrible place to live. Just recently some foreigner remarked some nasty comment on the IR and compared it to TN.

The Govt of the day needs to roll up its sleeve and get to brass tacks. Seeing refuse and sewer is not a flattering image. Someone in the corp assigned to fix these things is simply not at the job. They are being paid but they don't do their work. Electricity supply is terrible in some areas. How can we live like this forever. Time to stop and take note. We see modern IT buildings sprawling all over the place and they manage their affairs in spick and span fashion. Why cannot a city be like this. The managers of the city require a very large status dashboard that has green/red/yellow lights indicating all projects in every area of the city. If they come in and see a flashing red, it is time to act or they can fire themselves from the job.

Bad sewers, a filthy coovum river, broken roads, erratic electricity, uneven water supply, these should be in the past. This is resurgent India, time to cleanup and pull yourselves up several notches, because the rest of the world has already done this.

Yes, it requires a start, as human are like sheep, to follow what others, good or bad, like a chain reaction some characters will spread easily, so its not right to blame people, Its the corrupt govt that should be blamed, we can only pray that some good people comes to the top and implement rules and policies that will take us to that direction. I think we have elected a women who can only relocates offices and libraries to satisfy her ego.

The monsoon had just started and our areas and streets are already flooded, it seems there will be further heavy rains after 3 days..this time many Chennaites may need boats to travel like what we have seen in Thailand.

[wlbkng]

""செங்கல்பட்டு கொளவாய் ஏரியை, குடிநீர் வழங்கும் ஏரியாக மாற்ற, நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும்,'' என, தமிழக சுற்றுச்சூழல் துறை அமைச்சர் சின்னய்யா தெரிவித்தார்.காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டத்திலுள்ள நீர்நிலைகளை, அமைச்சர் சின்னய்யா நேற்று, பார்வையிட்டார். செங்கல்பட்டு கொளவாய் ஏரியை பார்வையிட்ட பின், அவர், நிருபர்களிடம் கூறியதாவது:மாவட்டத்தில், மழையால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட பகுதிகளைப் பார்வையிட்டு, உரிய நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும்படி, முதல்வர் ஜெயலலிதா உத்தரவிட்டார். அதன்படி, மாவட்டம் முழுவதும் உள்ள ஏரிகளை, பார்வையிட்டு வருகிறேன். நிரம்பும் நிலையிலுள்ள ஏரிகளில், உபரிநீரை முறையான பாதையில் வெளியேற்றும்படி, பொதுப்பணித் துறை அதிகாரிகளிடம் கூறியுள்ளேன். கொளவாய் ஏரி, நீர் பாசனத்திற்கு பயன்படுத்தப்படவில்லை. எனவே, ஏரியில் உள்ள நீரை பாதுகாத்து, மக்களுக்கு, குடிநீராக வழங்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்படும். கொளவாய் ஏரியில், படகு விட நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும்படி, அதிகாரிகளுக்கு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளேன். இவ்வாறு சின்னய்யா தெரிவித்தார்.

http://www.dinamalar.com/district_detail.asp?id=342639

Short Translation:
TN Environmental minister says Kolavai Lake to be made into Water supplying lake.
Now it is not used for irrigation, so to be transformed to supply water.
Boating club to be started at Kolavai Lake..

[ceeznic pirate]

Kolavai lake is the lake between Chengalpattu and Mcity - parallel to GST and railway line? or is this some other lake?

[wlbkng]

Originally Posted by ceeznic pirate

Kolavai lake is the lake between Chengalpattu and Mcity - parallel to GST and railway line? or is this some other lake?

Ofcourse it is kolavai lake.. why???

[ceeznic pirate]

TN Environmental minister says Kolavai Lake to be made into Water supplying lake.

Isnt it already been used for drinking water?

[wlbkng]

Originally Posted by ceeznic pirate

Isnt it already been used for drinking water?

I dont know.. There was even a boating club by ttdc before.. but i dono why that has been mentioned once again..

[murlee]

Draft plan ready for nature trail along Cooum


A stretch of the Cooum river, near DPI complex, where a nature trail has been proposed. Photo: K.Pichumani

The draft ecological plan for a nature trail along the Cooum river, the first such proposal in an urban area in the State, is ready.

The project is planned from College Road bridge to Chetpet bridge by the Chennai River Restoration Trust in view of the biological diversity of the area which was undisturbed for decades.

The ecological plan has been prepared by Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure and Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL). It would be implemented by Chennai Corporation after a meeting scheduled later this month with residents of the locality, officials of the Regional Meteorological Centre, WCC and DPI complex.

According to the draft ecological plan, floral species such as Indian almond, black wattle, sacred fig, madras thorn, Indian mulberry, neem, banyan, magizham, Indian cork tree, punnai, sirukkambil, karumugai, shenbagam, bayur tree, kadamba, pavazha malli, vettiver grass, palmorasa, agave, lemon grass and subabul would be part of species along the nature trail.

The species would play a role in erosion management and would also make the area fragrant and aesthetically appealing.

The nature trail would be based on an ‘elevated boardwalk' model with ‘uncompressed natural wood' and ‘fibre reinforced plastic.' The entry and exit would be on College Road near the DPI complex.

Apart from the parking facilities on the DPI premises, a stretch along the road between the entry point and the College Road Bridge would be demarcated for additional parking.

Five points located at 200 m intervals along the trail have been selected for erecting breakout areas including one for a canopy walk. The facility would not have electrical fittings as it has been designed as a ‘Day Trail.' But there would be scope for hybrid lighting with solar and wind power. The nature trail is expected to be an ornithologists' paradise in the city.

TREES CUT

A floral survey conducted by TNUIFSL as part of the draft ecological plan along the Cooum River found that 36 fully grown trees were cut between May and September in the proposed 1.5 km stretch.

The survey, as part of the biodiversity inventory in the area, was undertaken in May and 30 different species of plants were documented. During the re-survey in September, it was found that 36 fully grown trees that were documented were missing. The trees were cut to facilitate the work on the elevated road from Chennai Port to Maduravoyal, the survey said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle2601815.ece

[wlbkng]

Wasn't something planned on the similiar lines before..

Any way if it gets implemented on time, that should be okay.

What is the status of Adyar poonga and Semmozhi Poonga.. Are they still in use for public?

[N.kumar]

wlb

With more species of migratory birds arriving at the Adyar Poonga (Tholkaapiya Poonga) this monsoon, the documentation of such species in the 58 acres is likely to commence shortly.

Painted storks have come for the first time after eco-restoration of the first phase of the park. Grey heron, large egret, and black winged stilt are some of the other species spotted amid the vast lush green area after the northeast monsoon began last month.

“Painted stork has not been seen in the Adyar Estuary for many years. Getting to see painted stork this year is very good news,” said K.V.Sudhakar, president of Madras Naturalists' Society.

Around 200 species of birds have been reported in the Adyar area in the past, he added. Many of such species had vanished from the vicinity because of rapid urbanisation.

According to officials, increased availability of fish in the waterbodies of the 58 acre area and improvement in habitat on account of the eco-restoration are some of the reasons for the migration of birds to the park.

“We are not going to introduce any species. Every new species attracted to the park should be because of natural process,” said an official.

The tidal inflow to the Adyar Poonga plays a crucial role in complete restoration of the ecosystem and attraction of new species of fish to the estuary, said officials. After the second phase of the project, the normal tidal inflow would be completely restored.

Saplings planted

The State government spent over Rs.23 crore in the first phase of eco-restoration. About 1.37 lakh saplings of around 172 endemic species of trees, herbs, shrubs, reeds and tuberous plants were planted to serve as habitat for aquatic, terrestrial and arboreal species.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle2600302.ece

[wlbkng]

Thats a great news.. I just wish they dont get a block for second phase of this project.. It is already a big park, but once both phases are completed, it will become one of the biggest parks in the country.

[Mukkesh]

[QUOTE=wlbkng;85423552]


+ 1

[cactus_54]

Originally Posted by murlee

Draft plan ready for nature trail along Cooum


A stretch of the Cooum river, near DPI complex, where a nature trail has been proposed. Photo: K.Pichumani



http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle2601815.ece

This so called river is an open gutter with unbearable smell. Will these plant species grow here and their fragrance submerge the filthy smell.

[sridhar_n]

Originally Posted by wlbkng

Thats a great news.. I just wish they dont get a block for second phase of this project.. It is already a big park, but once both phases are completed, it will become one of the biggest parks in the country.

Great news indeed. Happy to know that we are taking steps to co-exist with nature. Wish they take up the second phase ASAP. Can anyone post latest pictures of the poonga pls?