The deluge in Chennai
You do not need experts to tell us that Chennai’s flooding woes result from its mind-boggling growth created over its extensive water bodies. But the growth that has happened cannot be dismantled. So, the experts, whoever they are, must talk about solutions to avoid flooding. Storm water drains are not a total, exclusive and fool-proof solution. They can be easily overstressed and become the source of flooding. They must be supported by rain water absorption systems and provisions that will push at least half the rainfall into the water table quickly, in a few hours. There has to be an emphasis on rain water harvesting with a good design from IIT Madras and even international experts.
M. Balakrishnan,
