The Hindu 30.08.2009
“Early steps can save damage to property”
Syed Muthahar Saqaf
| Corporation should strengthen Koraiyar bunds before monsoon, a major demand of residents |
— Photos: R. Ashok 
Preventive measure: Work on strengthening the banks of the Koraiyar under way in Tiruchi.
S. Pavithra, college student: All road damage should be set right before the onset of the monsoon.
R.J. Rajapandian, president, New Selva Nagar Civic Exnora: All encroachments on storm-water drains should be removed.
A. Malaiyandi, president of residents welfare associations: Koraiyar banks should be widened to enhance discharge capacity.
TIRUCHI: Come monsoon season, residential localities in and around the city get water logged and roads and streets are battered, disrupting normal life for days together.
The State Government, to prevent the recurring of floods in the city, launched a scheme last year. The Rs.253-crore project envisages major improvements to the Uyyakondan, Kudamuritti, Ariyar, Koraiyur rivers apart from strengthening the bunds of the Cauvery and Coleroon rivers in Tiruchi, Karur and Ariyalur districts.
This scheme has brought much cheer to the Tiruchiites, particularly to a large number of people residing in the innumerable colonies situated in Karumandapam area, which are always prone to floods.
The residents, the Karumandapam Exnora Flood Prevention Committee comprising 40 welfare associations, and other organisations have been demanding for about two decades steps for strengthening the bunds of Koraiyar river and construction of additional vent along with the renovation of the existing two vents constructed by the British administration two centuries ego. This was to ensure the free flow of flood water flowing from Pudukottai, Keeranur, Sooriyur, Navalpattu, Guntur, Airport, K.K. Nagar, Ayyappa Nagar, etc., in to Kudamuritti river.
Under the flood prevention scheme, a new vent is under construction at a cost of Rs.30 lakh. The works are in progress at a fast pace and are expected to be completed shortly. Overjoyed by this development, the New Selva Nagar Welfare Association held a function to felicitate the Transport Minister, K.N. Nehru, and other officials for their speedy initiative.
Another major demand of the city residents is the strengthening of the bunds of Koraiyar. Breaches in the river often flooded the Karumandapam area and the national highway leading to Dindigul. The works on strengthening the banks with concrete slabs and cementing them are in progress.
Yet another welcome move was the desilting and deepening of the Kollankulam tank, which often overflowed during the monsoon period. The PWD has already prepared a proposal for this and the works will be taken up shortly.
What is still causing much anxiety to the locals is the encroachments on the storm water drains (SWD) in Karumandapam area, especially Selva Nagar, Selva Nagar Extension, New Selva Nagar. A majority of the houses that have come up here have compound walls constructed on the SWDs. This has prevented the desilting of the SWDs at regular intervals to ensure the free flow of water. The situation this year many not be different, if the Corporation did not take effective steps for the removal of encroachments and launch desilting works on a war footing. In the places where drains were desilted, garbage had clogged them, says C. Balasubramanian, secretary of the Karumandapam Exnora Flood Prevention Committee.
A comprehensive plan should be drafted as a pre-monsoon preparatory measure to check any emergency. Post-flood relief measures are dearer and the Corporation and the PWD authorities should immediately take up pre-monsoon inspection to mitigate the damage to property, Mr. Balasubramanian says.
The presence of thick growth of water hyacinth in the Uyyakondan river flowing across the city also hinders the discharge of storm water during monsoon.
The Corporation should lay special emphasis on clearing water hyacinth that clogs up the Uyyakondan, Mr. Balasubramanian adds.
Showers and floods cause maximum damage to city roads, which remain battered for days together, causing serious hardship to road users. At present road widening works and construction of over-bridges are in progress in the city.
Road users want the National Highways Authority of India authorities to relay the service roads, which are in a bad condition, well ahead of the monsoon.
Bridges and culverts on the National Highways should be cleared of bushes and blockages.
Digging pits on the roads should be avoided. If not after the completion of the works the residents should be forced to close the pits, as they led to major damages during the monsoon period, observed, S. Pavithra, a II year B. Sc Electronics student of Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy College.
