Chennai: The survey done by the Greater Chennai Corporation, which shows the prevalence of encroachments on water bodies, also poses a serious
question on the eviction drive taken up by the district collectors as a flood emergency move.
The move witnessed for a month was stopped midway, worsening the status of water bodies. Environmental activists are agitated over the official apathy and feel that the eviction drive should be resumed to save water bodies.
“Encroachment was defined wrongly. The survey would have focused only on unlicensed constructions and small huts, which are easy targets. Water bodies also possess state sponsored encroachments, which escapes mention in such surveys,” said environmental activist, Nityanand Jayaraman.
Stating that the MRTS was built on Buckingham canal, he questioned, “Which district collector has the courage to evict the government structures?”
According to revenue department officials and PWD officials, many factors had thwarted the eviction drive. A PWD engineer told Deccan Chronicle that the rehabilitation and settlement process consumed time due to unwillingness of the people.
Quoting an example, he said: “Of the 180 families in Varadharajapuram
off Mudichur, only 40 families were willing to shift to the houses constructed at Navalur. Rest of them got a stay order from the court, hindering the process.”
Adding to it, the residents are backed by NGOs, who help them in filing a stay petition.
On the other hand, hydrologists also feel that the terrain of Chennai needs to be understood along with clearing encroachments. Hydrologist, J. Saravanan said the information on recharge and storage capacity of the water body remains oblivious to residents and authorities too.
“Every water body has its own capacity and that has to be understood and respected. The survey is a reaction to a jerk that has happened. People are yet to comprehend the whole scale of flood and understand the science behind it.
A solution could be derived only after the terrain of Chennai is learnt and check if the city could handle such disasters,” he added.
