Chennai Corporation will commission filtering mechanism around the Adyar Poonga for letting additional stormwater drains into the 58 acre greenery.
A number of stormwater drains carrying water to the Adyar River are being diverted by the Chennai Corporation for better recharge of water in the Eco Park.
The new inlets of the drain would pass through South Canal Bank Road, Rohini Garden and Karpagam Avenue. These will be in addition to existing stormwater drain inlets along roads such as R.K. Mutt Road.
Stormwater drains carrying water from areas that suffer severe inundation of over one metre during the monsoon would be of help in recharge of the creek that was restored in the first phase.
After the Chennai River Restoration Trust gets environmental clearance for the second phase of Adyar Poonga from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, the second phase of the project covering 300 acres will be taken up at a cost of Rs.18.93 crore.
The work on preparation of Master Plan for seeking approval from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has been completed. If the second phase is completed, more storm water drains of the Chennai Corporation would be linked to the Adyar Poonga.
The project would also restore normal tidal inflow in the Adyar creek and estuary.
Second phase
The second phase is likely to involve dredging for eco restoration of 300 acres of the Adyar Creek and estuary.
The area covered under the second phase falls under CRZ III category. In the first phase of the development of the park, only 4.16 acres were categorised as CRZ III. The State government spent over Rs.23 crore for the first phase of eco-restoration.
The clean water from the Corporation's stormwater drains would be helpful in sustaining the restoration process of the creek and the adjoining areas that have over 1.37 lakh saplings of around 172 endemic species of trees, herbs, shrubs, reeds and tuberous plants planted to serve as habitat for aquatic, terrestrial and arboreal species.
The effort of the Chennai Corporation would also stop illegal mixing of sewage water in the Adyar Poonga through unauthorised sewer inlets in the storm water drains.
The increased availability of fish in the waterbodies of the 58 acre area and improvement in habitat on account of the eco-restoration are some of the reasons for migration of birds to the park.
