Tamil Nadu was warned of impending disaster

An overflowing Chembarambakkam would not have left Chennai floating and a disaster of this magnitude could have been averted if only the government had paid heed to the warnings and suggestions of its scientists.

As early as 2009, scientists of the Ground and Surface Water Research and Data Centre, a research wing of the state WRO (Water Resource Organisation) had cautioned the government that the city would not be able to withstand 10 cm rainfall plus discharge of surplus water from Chembarambakkam lake on the same day.

The study, commissioned immediately after the 2005 flood by the then AIADMK regime and completed later in 2009 during the DMK regime, had revealed the absence of even flood lines (flood line is the extent or area up to which surplus water from overflowing rivers will spread out during such torrential rain) on the bank of Adyar river.

The Water Resource Organisation scientists hence suggested construction of a flood carrier from Chennai river basin to Palar river basin for the sole purpose of avoiding disasters like the one that had now devastated Chennai, especially Mudichur, Tambaram, Kotturpuram and Saidpet on the bank of Adyar river that drains floodwater into Bay of Bengal.

“We found out that most of the water spread area and flood line along Adyar river was encroached. We advised our bosses not to permit any construction within the flood line. But, there are buildings on the river bank now. We suggested diversion of surplus water from Chembarambakkam reservoir to Palar River. All that the government had to do was construct a flood carrier for around 10kms from the lake to Wallajah,” a retired Water Resource Organisation scientist told this newspaper.