Loading ...This is the second part of my blog on What’s wrong with namma Chennai.
Waterways or lack thereof is my lament. Chennai is one of the very few cities worldwide to boast of two rivers running right through it. Most of them would be surprised to know if rivers run through Chennai at all in the first place. Adyar and Coovam are the rivers. But to all, these are not rivers but wholesale sewages. What else can one call it. Indiscriminate dumping of waste has turned what could have been a marvel into eyesore. This dumping of waste is being continued for many many years without any intervention from our political class. Of course, they merely stop with putting up plans/committees to correct the situation. There has been no action on ground. There has been periodic desilting of Coovam river at the Marina Beach point but just that, no attempt has been made to correct the root cause. Everyone blames everyone else – tanneries and other industries, slums, general public. But can you believe it, the TWAD board itself let untreated sewage into these rivers for a long long time. I’m not sure if that is still being practiced by TWAD.
Another man-made waterway into ruins is the Buckingham canal. In the name of MRTS, our planning stalwarts have destroyed a major and critical portion of the canal running right through the city. The best part is people are currently talking about reviving the canal and use it to transport good and people. But I don’t hope to see the plan being realized in the next 20 years.
Just imagine how beautiful if will be if both the rivers are cleaned up and interlinked to the Buckingham canal and pure water runs through it.
Chennai, will you ever turn beautiful?
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