Govt directed to file report on storm water drains

A division bench comprising Justice S. Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad offered the direction based on a plea, which sought to direct GCC to lay such integrated rainwater drainage without laying concrete cement over the earth thereby stalling percolation of rainwater into the soil. The bench also sought for a report on the feasibility of construction of storage and recycling unit, at the end of the canal or at any other suitable place.

“Judicial notice can be taken that drain water is not stored and even as per the averments made in GCCs counter affidavit, water is let into Cooum River. On the averments, instead of letting water into Cooum River and thereafter, the same being treated by Sewerage Treatment Plants, we are of the view that recycling units, can be located at the end of the canal, if possible,” the bench said.

The petitioner on citing the work in progress at the Ambattur Zone submitted that contrary to earlier practice of filling up blue metal or brick chips on the ground so as to enable rain water flowing into drainage to seep into the ground freely, GCC has resorted to laying a cement concrete at the bottom of the drain using existing clay soil and poor quality cement concrete mixtures thereby stalling any percolation of water to the ground.

However, GCC submitted that provision has been made for construction of silt catch pit with Rainwater Harvesting structure at every 30 metre interval for increasing the recharge of ground water. Further, at 80 locations Rainwater Harvesting wells of 4 feet diameter and 15 feet deep are provided in the open spaces of the lands available and the Storm Water Drain is linked to this Rainwater Harvesting wells for increasing the recharge of ground water.

Moreover, the project consultants have made provisions for construction of Canal Bed-lining through wet mix of plain cement and reinforced cement concrete which will act as foundation for the flood protection retaining wall on either side of the canal, the counter said.