Minor canals, drains in Chennai to be part of green ecosystem

CHENNAI: Waterways in the city, including minor canals and the banks of drains linked to the Adyar, Cooum and Buckhingam Canal, will soon be part of a green ecosystem, with the forest department planning to plant 20,000 saplings under the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project for Climate Change Response. About 68 lakh will be spent for this every year.
In initial meetings with officials of the Chennai River Restoration Trust, water resources department, Greater Chennai Corporation and other government agencies that own land along the river banks, forest department officials found that about 26 drains were free of any kind of encroachments and could be used to plant saplings. While many agencies have already taken up the programme along the Adyar and Cooum, several macro drains and canals that drain into them remain barren. Of the 53 drains linked to the Adyar, Cooum and Buckingham Canal, 27 were partially encroached and will now be the sites of nearly 30 mini sewage treatment plants.
A forest official said the drain area will be inspected with the respective department officials (GCC and PWD-WRD) and the feasibility ascertained. “Once the locations are finalised, planting will begin in October, and 20,000 saplings above 8 feet will be used.”
The plan is to create riparian plantations in urban and peri-urban areas.
The forest department wants to only plant in locations that havent been taken up for greenign projects to avoid overlaps. “Many agencies have already begun planting. So we wanted to coordinate with all agencies and ensure same locations aren’t taken up,” said Chennai chief conservator of forests K Geethanjali.
Among the species of saplings selected for planting is bamboo, with most raised at Ra Karisangal Nursery in Velachery and in Padappai of Chennai division. For now, the saplings will be planted only along Buckingham Canal and the Adyar as work on the Chennai Port- Maduravoyal Expressway, a 20.6-km, six lane, double-decker elevated stretch, is set to begin. The department plans to maintain the saplings by fencing and watering them for subsequent two years. Corporate social responsibility funds of companies will be used for maintenance.