Canals being cleared in Zone 4 to prevent inundation

CHENNAI: After a decade, the civic body authorities cleared the canals in Tondiarpet Zone (Zone 4), including Captain Cotton Canal and Kodugaiyur canal, ahead of the Northeast monsoon to prevent inundation in the locality. They carried out desilting and removal of obstruction from the waterbodies.

"As the canals were not cleared all these years, during the rainy seasons when the canal overflows, residential areas will be flooded, and only after the water level in the canal decreases stagnating water will drain. To prevent the inundation this year, we have taken several measures," said the Zonal official.

To clear the garbage, water hyacinth, the local body used robotic multipurpose elevators, amphibian equipment on the Captain Cotton Canal, Kodugaiyur canal, and Vyasarpadi canal.

At least 300 metric tonnes (MT) of waste is collected daily, and in the last 10 days, 7,000 MT of garbage and plastic waste were removed from the water bodies. The works are expected to be completed by this week.

In addition, the authorities have provided wells in nine places which were severely impacted during the monsoon season, to drain out the stagnated water through it.

"The depth of the well is 4.5 meters, and the rainwater won't reach upto 2.5 meters. Later, the water will be pumped out from the well. Also, a sluice gate will be built which will prevent rainwater flowing into the canals," added the officer.

There are no stormwater drains in low-lying areas, and to prevent flooding, especially division 34 - Thendral Nagar. They have installed rainwater harvesting in the locality and a pipe which connects to the existing SWD to drain the water immediately.

The machine will be automated, where the switch will turn off after the water level in the flooded areas is reduced or drained completely.