The Water Resources Department has started clearing encroachments in channels leading to Porur lake on Monday. Many portions of such earthen channels that had vanished over the years in Mangadu are being restored now.
Four branch channels join Thanthikal channel, which carries surplus water from Chembarambakkam reservoir to Porur lake, at various points. The 10-km channel traverses through Mangadu, Malayambakkam, Kattupakkam, Iyappanthangal and Paraniputhur before confluencing into Porur lake.
However, portions of the earthen channel meant to carry floodwater in Mangadu have been heavily encroached upon, closed and turned into vacant sites over the years. The department has identified nearly 31 such encroachments, both residential and industrial, in Indira Nagar, Parthiban Nagar and Ambal Nagar.
Officials said the department had launched a drive to clearing encroachments and demarcate boundary, besides restoring lost portions as per Madras High Court directive. As there was no means for water to drain, areas up to Iyyapanthangal and Koluthuvancheri were inundated for more than three weeks during monsoon last year.
“We are forming earthen channels in between the encroachments and linking them to the existing one. Each of these four channels are 3 metre to 6 metre wide and collectively carry 400 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water,” said an official.
The department has identified 350 more encroachments in all the branches of Thanthikal channel. After the minor water channels are cleared of encroachments and desilted, the flood threat in the areas in and around Mangadu would be reduced by 50%.
Moreover, a concrete floodwater channel has been proposed to be built from E.V.P. Prabhu Avenue, Koluthuvancheri, for 750 metres and linked to Manapakkam channel. This would ease the pressure on Thanthikal channel and Porur lake.
The local village administrative officers must be provided with more powers to control encroachments in the water channels in such fast developing areas, the officials added.
