PWD may divert rain water from Chembarambakkam lake to quarries

This would be done to prevent a flood-like situation as was the case in 2015, they said.

The PWD and revenue officials had drawn flak from various quarters in 2015 when they released water from Chembarambakkam lake in December 2015 which worsened the flood. To prevent a repeat of it, officials plan release water to stone quarries through link canals. The Chembarambakkam lake can store water up to 3,645 million cubic feet (mcft) and at present, it has only 216 mcft of water. Officials said that they might divert water after the level crosses 1,000 mcft (1 tmc).

Superintending engineer of Palar Basin Circle in Chennai Region, M Mani, said, “Link canal from Chembarambakkam lake to Sikkarayapuram stone quarries have been desilted. In case there is heavy rainfall during the North-East monsoon, we will release the excess water to the quarries.”

An official from Chennai Metro water board said that they would look for more quarries to store water. “The looming water scarcity has taught us a lesson and we are trying to identify more stone quarries near the metro lakes. If there is heavy rainfall, the water in the quarries will be used to prevent a water crisis next year,” the official said.

Meanwhile, experts have voiced their concerns over the officials’ apathy for not taking any measure to store water and prevent floods. “We have not seen any difference in the administration’s work after the 2015 flood. Officials have failed to desilt water bodies in Chennai,” said Sekhar Raghavan, director of The Rain Centre.