Flood escape channel from Buckingham Canal to sea awaits CRZ clearance

Uthandi residents express environmental concerns as a flood escape channel from Buckingham Canal awaits CRZ clearance in Chennai.

A project to construct a flood escape channel from the Buckingham Canal to the sea, near Uthandi on East Coast Road, to alleviate flooding in areas around the Pallikaranai marshland awaits clearance from Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority. Residents, however, raised concerns about the possibility of sewage pollution through the proposed channel.

The Water Resources Department (WRD) has proposed to construct the channel from Buckingham Canal to the sea to minimise flooding in the southern areas, including Velachery, Pallikaranai and Narayanapuram, whenever the marshland overflows. With the maximum carrying capacity of about 500 cubic feet per second (cusecs), the ₹91 crore channel aims to accelerate the draining of surplus water and reduce inundation in localities around the marshland.

As nearly 530 metre of the nearly 1.1 km-long proposed channel falls under Coastal Regulation Zone-II, clearance was sought from the District Coastal Zone Management Authority to start work. The proposal is awaiting approval from TNSCZMA.

While noting that they were not opposed to flood mitigation projects, residents of Uthandi raised concerns about the channel’s potential impact on the environment and also livelihood of fishing community in Nainarkuppam. They have also recently submitted representation to the Inland Waterways Authority of India alleging violations of regulations under the National Waterways Act, 2016.

Radha Madhavan, resident of VGP Layout, said the channel may carry sewage-mixed flood water from the Buckingham Canal to the sea and affect marine life. This could in turn pollute the beach and affect the groundwater.

The WRD is constructing precast structures as part of preliminary work for the channel. WRD officials said the Department has sought technical guidance from Anna University to study the water quality in Buckingham Canal and sea before, during rainfall and post monsoon. An interim report indicated that the water quality is within permissible standards. The Institute of Remote Sensing, Anna University, is also undertaking CRZ zonation mapping.