Date:07/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/07/stories/2009010753230600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

“Community participation can help revive defunct irrigation tanks”

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: Irrigation tanks, which had become defunct in the wake of urbanisation, could be revived if there is community participation, emphasised speakers at the meeting organised by Neer Exnora in the city on Sunday.

Speaking at the ‘Water bodies protection campaign,’ Public Works Department principal secretary S. Audiseshiah referred to the steps taken by the State government in the wake of recent floods to rejuvenate the tanks and canals in the city and the State by removing encroachments. The department has identified 29 tanks in the city for which basic records are prepared, by undertaking survey of the land records. Land markings of the area of the tanks are proposed to be done through installation of reinforced concrete (RCC) pole blocks, and Palmyra trees are to be planted at intervals around those tanks.

Mr. Audiseshiah said that of the total of 29 tanks in the city and suburbs, which were proposed to be restored, 10 tanks have become defunct and could not be revived, as pattas have been issued. The remaining 19 tanks, the water bodies including the Arapatheri tank in Tiruvallur district, Pallikkaranai Anai tank, Kovilambakkam tank, Tambaram Pudu Thangal tank and Pallikkaranai-Narayanapuram tank have been removed of encroachments.

Mr. Audiseshiah said that even while talking about the need to protect water bodies from encroachments, the State government had to consider the social perspective of rehabilitating those people who have been living in the water bodies for several years.

Very soon encroachments from the tank at Sholinganallur would be removed, RCC poles would be installed and land records created, he added.

On the State government’s proposal to develop integrated macro and micro drainage systems to protect the city from persistent flooding, Mr. Audiseshiah said the macro and micro drainage systems were planned to be developed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission at a cost of Rs. 1,500 crore.