Deccan Chronicle 23.12.2009

CMWSSB ill-prepared to cater to new townships

Dec. 22: The state government has responded well to Chennaiites’ hue and cry by rightly deciding to extend amenities on par with the city to the suburbs and areas beyond them to make those areas equally hospitable.

The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) that provides water and drainage facilities to 1,189 sq km Chennai Metropolitan Area gave effect to the government’s plan by accommodating the suburbs, but the board got it wrong by doing so without increasing its capacity adequately.

CMWSSB engineers told this newspaper on condition of anonymity that the state’s prime objective of upgrading infrastructure, particularly drainage, in the suburbs to ease the burden on the city would be jeopardised if areas are added without increasing capacity. Similarly, future maintenance of drainage of the added areas would become an uphill task and a further burden on the city that is already struggling due to recurring sewage blocks and overflow.

Underground drainage works are afoot at Avadi, Ambattur, Tiruvottiyur, Maduravoyil, Madhavaram, Tirumalisai, Ullagaram and Puzhithivakkam municipalities - without setting up a new treatment plant.

The treatment plants in Kodungaiyur, Villivakkam, Koyambedu, Nesapakkam and Perungudi have a joint treatment capacity of 486 mld (million litres per day). These are already choking with the daily increasing output of a fast developing city. While taxpayers in the city corporation limits fear more problems in future, residents in the suburbs and realtors promoting private townships ask why the government cannot extend the facilities to them if it could for IT companies. A new 6 mld treatment plant at Navalur, on Rajiv Gandhi Salai, to cater to the needs of the IT corridor, is on the cards.

Currently, most realtors take government support only for water. Though the implementing of the proposed UGD in the adjoining local bodies would be a gift in the offing for taxpayers there, they would not serve the purpose until the treatment capacity is increased, experts observed.

Deccan Chronicle 23.12.2009

Greens question pleasure boating

Dec. 22: Environmentalists in the city are sceptical about the proposed leisure boating facility in Velachery lake. They cite the example of Ousteri lake in Puducherry which was polluted badly after leisure boating service was started. They are also worried about the dim prospects of migratory birds visiting the lake once the boating starts.

“The city corporation’s plans of eco-tourism in Velachery lake, like all other government projects, is not far-sighted. It will not just pollute the lake further. It will also disturb the already declining bird life in the lake,” said Mr Nityanand Jayaraman, environmentalist.

While corporation sources maintain that the lake will be beautified by removing all pollutants before launching boat rides, the experience at Ousteri lake in Puducherry has made many environmentalists worried.

“Ousteri lake used to be a great destination of migratory birds and a source of aquatic life before the boating facility was introduced. After boat rides were introduced, birds and fish have disappeared. The lake is full of plastic waste now,” said Mr K. Sugumaran, who is an active member of ‘Save Ousteri Lake.’

Madras Naturalists’ Society (MNS) is studying the possible impact of boating on bird life in Velachery lake. “Bird life will be hit badly if boating is introduced. Bird life is already on the decline due to increasing noise of vehicles in the area,” said Mr Sudhakar, secretary, MNS.

Chennai corporation’s plans include regular cleanup of the lake.

“We have plans to stop sewage inflow to the lake. Parks will be developed on the lakeside to protect the ecosystem. Birds almost stopped visiting the lake. Once boating starts, it will be a great outing for Chennai residents and others,” said M. Subramanain, Chennai Mayor.