Sponge Parks: New allies to combat inundation 

Greater Chennai Corporation is set to create sponge parks across the 15 zones. A top official at the coalface of the exercise discusses the essential aspects of it

A water-guzzling sponge is a comforting imagery to carry into a horrendously wet day, especially where one’s neck of the woods is prone to flooding.

Imagine a wide acreage — a sprawling park, to be precise — serving as a giant sponge. As an idea, sponge parks evoke curiosity and excitement: Sparing residents the bane of inundation, and at the same time, adding to the groundwater by directing rainwater runoffs into the table.

So, it is difficult not to follow Greater Chennai Corporation’s move to create sponge parks with interest.

GCC has asked zonal officers to suggest parks in their jurisdiction that can be developed into sponge parks.

Asked about the criteria and the process of identifying the parks for this exercise, Sneha Divakaran, deputy commissioner, Education, and with additional charge of Parks, has this to say:

“We have started to ask the zonal officers to identify the parks, and we have so far got one or two. They will be vetted by Tamil Nadu Urban Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (TUFIDCO). We have sent details of one park to them for vetting and after we hear back from them, we will use the norms they have suggested to improve our proposal.”

What are the main criteria that would dictate the selection?