The Big 5 for Chennai

Here are five smart things that Chennai can do to become a cleaner, greener and healthier city.

Everyone only talks about the vital role of renewable energies such as solar and wind. But that is not enough. How does one make these renewable energies viable for use in a city, and how does one create an alternative way of living? That needs a broader perspective and wide-reaching policy changes. Here are five ideas that Chennai can implement to make it a healthier city.

1. Improve air quality

Named the Detroit of the East, because of its fast-growing automobile industry, Chennai continues to battle with air pollution from traffic. A sustained awareness campaign on emission standards would considerably improve the air quality. An integrated public transportation can reduce the number of cars on roads, as the Berlin or Curitiba process has shown. This can also reduce pollution, since car travel generates about 0.13 kg of carbon dioxide per km, per person. Linking transportation with land-use planning is essential to reduce long commutes between residential areas and places of work. Bus Rapid Transport Systems or the Metro Rail can improve the situation, but only if there is a seamless connection between the different modes of transport.

2. Reduce carbon emissions

A combination of densification with concrete buildings and cutting off trees on site has led to a gradual rise in temperatures and heat islands. It’s a vicious cycle that generates the need for air conditioning, and hence more carbon emissions. A broader planning strategy to create well-planned, connected nodes in Oragadam, Chengalpattu and Sriperumbudur could distribute the congestion.

3. Increase tree cover

To reduce urban ambient temperature as well as reduce pollution, increasing tree cover is imperative. A tree can absorb about 15-20 kg of carbon dioxide per year. Estimates suggest that the city would have to almost double its tree cover to contain pollution and heat. Chennai does not have any specific policies to safeguard trees. The Corporation could create a ‘Tree Authority’ to enforce clear guidelines and stop tree-felling as well as to create tree plantation schemes, involving schools and universities. A reduction in tree cover can have several fallouts such as depletion of groundwater, heated micro-climate, and increased electricity consumption for air conditioning. This has a cyclical impact on air pollution and load shedding.

4. Adopt water recycling

Rapid growth comes with unplanned problems, like lakes and reservoirs being filled up, and buildings on low-lying lands. This eventually leads to water scarcity, as construction impacts groundwater aquifers. Thus, water recycling should be made mandatory for large housing projects, since they consume large quantities of water. Using treated water for industrial purposes can reduce the demand for water. Recycled water can be used for urban horticulture and civic green areas, reducing the need to indiscriminately draw from groundwater sources.

5. Evolve a sustainable master plan

The various factors that impact the urban environment are intrinsically interconnected and a dynamic master plan can launch and track the process of transformation. Evolving a long-term cogent plan, that is both environmentally and economically viable, is the only solution for healthier citizens.

The writer is a city-based architect