News: The ongoing spell of heavy rain in Chennai has again exposed its vulnerabilities. It has also raised questions about the Government’s preparedness to deal with the problem of inundation (flooding).
Why the problem of flooding is persistent in cities?
The crux of the problem is the issue of drainage. The reasons that are responsible for the mess are:
– Shrinking open spaces
– The gap between the coverage of the drains and that of sewer lines
– Ageing drains and sewer networks in core areas of the city
– Encroachments or obstructions hampering the free flow of water
– Inconsistent efforts towards finding a long-term solution on the issue of waterlogging.
What is the way forward?
Ensure proper maintenance of water bodies: The city is blessed with a few rivers such as the Cooum and the Adyar, apart from a number of canals including the Buckingham Canal. All these water bodies, if properly maintained, can be very effective flood carriers.
Integrated storm-water drains projects should be executed in a short span of time.
Responsible citizens: People too should be responsible enough in ensuring that the water bodies and drains are not turned into dumps.
Source: This post is based on the article “Season of floods: On TN’s long-term solutions to avoid monsoon woes” published in The Hindu on 12th November 2021.
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