Deccan Chronicle 17.09.2009

Global firm gives tips for civic body

Chennai, Sept. 17: If the ambitious proposals of Manila-based Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) for managing the city’s waterways and solid waste were to be implemented by the city corporation, it could shop for investments for infrastructure projects abroad to complete them in record time, and cash in on selling the mounds of garbage generated.

The corporation had approached CDIA in 2007 to have a re-look at the City Development Plan (CDP) 2006, a document to guide the development of Chennai Metropolitan Area, including parts of Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, up to 2026, and suggest ways to bridge the gaps.

Apart from drafting a revised CDP, which will be open to public review for the first time, CDIA has come up with a pre-feasibility report after a year of ground research to suggest infrastructure projects to manage its rivers and solid waste, which it will soon submit to the government.

“While analysing the investment strategies for the city, we found that investment of 250 million dollars was required for infrastructure projects. Apart from the funds allocated under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, (it does not cover water bodies), international financing institutions and greater public-private partnership is required,” explained Nadir Ehsan, senior municipal development specialist, CDIA.

In solid waste management, rather than the corporation losing money by paying private agencies, it could sell waste to them and earn royalty to fund other projects.

As one of the biggest hurdles for management of water bodies was the lack of a central authority to oversee implementation, the report suggests the setting up of an ‘apex body’, said Mr M. Dheenadhayalan, team leader of DHV consultancy firm that did the study.

Deccan Chronicle 17.09.2009

Nothing has changed city’s flooding scenario

Chennai, Sept. 16: The city dwellers are bracing themselves to negotiate waterlogged streets with the northeast monsoon expected to hit it in little over a months’ time.

Be it the elite living in lavish bungalows or the poor slum dwellers encroaching the banks of Cooum River and Buckingham Canal, Chennaites are largely vulnerable to inundation.

Poor drain facilities and encroachment of water bodies are said to be major reasons for the floods. Experts have warned that another season of floods is in the offing for the metropolis.

As usual, residents of Velachery, Choolaimedu, Nanganallur, Arumbakkam and Palavanthangal in South Chennai besides Pulianthopu, Vyasarpadi, Perambur, Kolathur in north Chennai would have to face the greatest difficulties.

On the one side, the land mafia and poor people are encroaching upon canals and lakes, while the government, on its part, had converted few water bodies into housing sites, said experts of the state water resource department.

Authorities also conduct ‘mock’ eviction drives every now and then following court intervention and drive away the poor, while the well-off largely escape untouched, they observed.

A report on water conservation prepared by WRD experts had revealed that even an hour’s rain or 100 mm rainfall could flood the city.

At present, the city corporation is engaged in de-silting water channels and cleaning up of storm water drains. But flooding would become a thing of the past only if the encroachments are removed. This is easier said than done.