Chennai: A preliminary study conducted by the Greater Chennai Corporation on Kovalam basin unearthed shocking facts about the status of prominent water bodies.
The basin, which constitutes 15 per cent of the fresh water bodies in the city, suffers 44 per cent of encroachment — both commercial and residential.
The study is a part of the overall flood alleviation project commenced at Rs 4,000 crore to drain city’s flood. An expenditure of Rs 143 crore were allotted for the study on Kovalam basin that include 15 lakes, Kovalam estuary and Pallikarnai marsh.
The study, conducted to find out a proper mechanism to alleviate flooding in South Chennai, would focus on many aspects including strength and weakness of inlets and channels, watershed and catchment areas, Environment Survey Assessment.
The topographic study conducted through private consultants by the corporation focused on the inter-relation between Kovalam estuary, Pallikaranai marsh and 15 other lakes that include Kilkattalai Lake, Narayanapuram Lake, Pallavaram Lake, Madipakkam Lake, Perungudi Lake and Sitheri Lake.
As the basin is a major draining channel, it is requisite to comprehend the status of it. Twenty nine per cent of the basin is occupied with vacant reserve land with scrub jungle while 44 per cent is encroached, a corporation official said.
Formulating ways to discharge floodwater, the official said that the civic body is mulling over options of draining it either through Pallikaranai marsh or South Buckingham canal or through Coast line through Kovalam into the Bay.
