Chennai rains: Overflowing Pallavaram lake floods nearby areas
The Municipality had broken one side of the bund on the right side of the lake, letting out an unregulated flow of water.
Published: 03rd December 2019 05:10 AM
Overflowing Pallavaram eri after the rains on Sunday
By OMJASVIN M D
Express News Service
CHENNAI: The bunds of one side of the Pallavaram Eri submerged on Monday after the lake started to overflow following the copious rain the previous day. This resulted in water entering into houses alongside the lake.
Further, since there is no proper channel for rainwater to flow to Keelkattalai from the Pallavaram Eri which is seven kilometres away, the Municipality had broken one side of the bund on the right side of the lake, letting out an unregulated flow of water.
This knee-jerk move has flooded many interior areas of Pallavaram. Residents felt if it rain’s further, Pallavaram would witness a repeat of 2015 floods.
‘‘All the sewage drains are flowing in reverse to the streets of Zamin Pallavaram. The lake water entered into streets and there’s no other option than to vacate the locality. In 2015, most of the houses were destroyed in floods and we are close to it again,’’ said Amardas S, a resident.
When Express visited the spot, the drains flanking the 200-feet-radial road were running full. Just behind the Vels Hospital bus stand, the Highways Department on Monday had broken the roads to open up the culverts five feet below.
As the area was not guarded, many commuters faced the risk of being washed away into the lake.
Meanwhile, the Pallavaram Municipality under the Rs.15 crore lake restoration project built a sluice gate earlier this year. The side where the gate drained water faced an apartment complex and no water channel was present.
The Municipality then decided to connect the outlet from the Pallavaram Eri to the stormwater drains built by Highways Department, but that was not done too.TNIE reported the misconstruction on the sluice gate earlier this year and highlighted how it may flood when the lake becomes full.
The part where the radial road was set to be expanded was also found flooded.
Local resident and activist David Manohar said that the municipality has not desilted the lake properly. ‘‘In 2015, they broke the same spot (bunds) to let water out. This year, they have done the same too,’’ he said.
He added that when it floods again, water may crash through the sluice gates which are just one foot deep.
‘‘This is a PWD lake and only they will have the expertise to desilt. Why desilting work is given to Municipality, who do not have expertise in desilting?,’’ Questioned Manohar.
The Municipality had broken one side of the bund on the right side of the lake, letting out an unregulated flow of water.
Published: 03rd December 2019 05:10 AM
Overflowing Pallavaram eri after the rains on Sunday
By OMJASVIN M D
Express News Service
CHENNAI: The bunds of one side of the Pallavaram Eri submerged on Monday after the lake started to overflow following the copious rain the previous day. This resulted in water entering into houses alongside the lake.
Further, since there is no proper channel for rainwater to flow to Keelkattalai from the Pallavaram Eri which is seven kilometres away, the Municipality had broken one side of the bund on the right side of the lake, letting out an unregulated flow of water.
This knee-jerk move has flooded many interior areas of Pallavaram. Residents felt if it rain’s further, Pallavaram would witness a repeat of 2015 floods.
‘‘All the sewage drains are flowing in reverse to the streets of Zamin Pallavaram. The lake water entered into streets and there’s no other option than to vacate the locality. In 2015, most of the houses were destroyed in floods and we are close to it again,’’ said Amardas S, a resident.
When Express visited the spot, the drains flanking the 200-feet-radial road were running full. Just behind the Vels Hospital bus stand, the Highways Department on Monday had broken the roads to open up the culverts five feet below.
As the area was not guarded, many commuters faced the risk of being washed away into the lake.
Meanwhile, the Pallavaram Municipality under the Rs.15 crore lake restoration project built a sluice gate earlier this year. The side where the gate drained water faced an apartment complex and no water channel was present.
The Municipality then decided to connect the outlet from the Pallavaram Eri to the stormwater drains built by Highways Department, but that was not done too.TNIE reported the misconstruction on the sluice gate earlier this year and highlighted how it may flood when the lake becomes full.
The part where the radial road was set to be expanded was also found flooded.
Local resident and activist David Manohar said that the municipality has not desilted the lake properly. ‘‘In 2015, they broke the same spot (bunds) to let water out. This year, they have done the same too,’’ he said.
He added that when it floods again, water may crash through the sluice gates which are just one foot deep.
‘‘This is a PWD lake and only they will have the expertise to desilt. Why desilting work is given to Municipality, who do not have expertise in desilting?,’’ Questioned Manohar.
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