What happened to so many projects? Why no progress? Why does the tragedy in chennai continue? Why do cows run into the sewers? There is no need to know about the floods in chennai and the damage caused by them.
In chennai, there are 214 km of waterways and 42 water bodies, including Koovam, Adyar and Kosasthalaiyar. Improper disposal of these and improper disposal of occupants are the main causes of floods.
Useless projects
The first refinery under the name 'Koovam Development Project' was started by the state government in 1967. The project, which ran from 1968 to 1973, was of no avail. Meanwhile, the then chief minister Karunanidhi, who had vowed to make Koovam like the Thames, took a boat trip with his cabinet colleagues.
But Koovam continued
In 2001, during the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK government, the Rs 1,200 crore central government-funded ‘Chennai River Protection Project’ was re-launched.
Then in 2008 during the Karunanidhi-led DMK regime, the ‘Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust’ was set up. In 2009, then-Deputy chief minister MK stalin visited to seek advice on the recovery of the Koovam River.
New projects, old stories
When the AIADMK returned to power in July 2012, it was announced that the chennai River Protection Project would be abandoned.
At the same time, chief minister Jayalalithaa announced that ‘projects worth Rs 300 crore will be implemented to treat sewage in a total of 337 places, including 105 places in the Koovam River, 183 places in the Buckingham Canal and 49 places in the Adyar’.
For the first phase, Rs. 150 crores has been allocated to the chennai Drinking Water and Drainage Board for these works.
Then in march 2013, he announced, "We will seek foreign funding to rehabilitate and protect water bodies."
What happened to so many projects? Why no progress? Why does the tragedy in chennai continue? Why do cows run into the sewers?
Many blame the corruption sewer for this tragedy. The media and social activists have levelled serious allegations against the two governments over the amount of money allocated and the manner in which it was spent.
Recent History
In this context, Edappadi Palanisamy, who took over as the chief minister, said, "The project will be implemented at an estimated cost of 2 thousand 371 crore rupees to rehabilitate 3 rivers, including the Koovam."
In december 2020, the chennai Rivers Rehabilitation Project has launched at a cost of Rs 5,440 crore. In the first phase, work was started to rehabilitate the rivers Koovam and Adyar.
In this situation, the DMK government took charge of the government. In July 2021, KN Nehru, the minister of Municipal Administration, said that "Chennai's major rivers, including their drains, are being rehabilitated at an estimated cost of Rs 2,600 crore."
The cause of the floods can be ascertained by looking at the ‘measures’ taken to rehabilitate the chennai rivers, including the Koovam, and their condition today.
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