Audit calls for constitution of high-level committee to address recurrent flooding in Velachery

Audit calls for high-level committee to address flooding in Chennai's Velachery, citing reduced lake capacity and blocked drains.

A recent audit has called for the formation of a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu to tackle the recurrent flooding in Chennai’s Velachery, which saw severe inundation during Cyclone Michaung in December 2023.

The audit notes that the floods, which claimed two lives due to lack of access to medical care, left AGS Colony and its surroundings in distress, with property damage amounting to approximately ₹50 crore (roughly ₹2.5 lakh per household).

Data from the Water Resources Department, cited in the report, points to the reduced capacity of Velachery lake — originally spanning 265 acres, is now 55 acres; and its water-holding capacity fell from 19.24 mcft to 4.81 mcft. The lake’s catchment area has decreased to 21% of its original size, and its current capacity to hold runoff is a mere 4 cm, compared to its previous 15 cm, reducing its ability to mitigate flooding, the report mentions.

The report further states that the macro drain of the lake has been blocked and that sewage is being illegally pumped into encroached stormwater drains. This has increased the risk of flooding in nearby areas, including Madipakkam and Pallikaranai, the audit claimed.

Recommendations, include desilting the lake, repairing flood sluice gates, and forming a high-level committee, comprising officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation, the Water Resources Department, IIT Madras, and residents headed by the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu.

Additionally, the report flags that Veerangal Odai has been choked by sewage and encroachments, leading to its low water retention capacity in the past few years. Nearby lakes in Adambakkam and Ullagaram have also experienced shrinkage, factors that have led to prolonged waterlogging in Velachery in 2023, the audit adds.