Removal of construction debris and garbage illegally dumped on Adyar Creek will begin soon to facilitate commencement of the second phase of eco-restoration.
At a meeting of the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL) with the Chennai Corporation, Metrowater and other agencies on Friday, the officials of Adyar Poonga asked the Chennai Corporation to initiate measures to stop dumping of municipal solid waste and construction debris around the creek. They also requested the construction of toilets on the premises.
Poonga officials will commence work on cleaning the 300-acre area earmarked for the second phase of eco-restoration. The Chennai Corporation will construct additional stormwater drains in residential localities around the creek.
Metrowater will take measures to plug illegal sewer connections in the drains to prevent mixing of sewage in the creek. A proposal for construction of an additional sewage treatment plant has also been made.
The Corporation has already planned to commission specially-designed filtering mechanism around Adyar Poonga for letting additional stormwater drains into the existing 58-acre greenery. The second phase of eco-restoration will cover the 300 acres between Theosophical Society and Srinivasapuram.
The civic body will divert stormwater drains flowing into the Adyar for better recharge of water in the 358-acre eco Park. The second phase of the Poonga project will focus of creation of walkways and bunds along the creek. After completion of the second phase, residents are likely to be allowed there for morning walks.
The work on the second phase will also restore normal tidal inflow in the Adyar creek and estuary.
While the first phase of the eco-park covered only 4.16 acres of CRZ-III area, the entire area covered under the second phase is said to fall under such category. The State spent over Rs. 23 crore for the first phase of eco-restoration.
