Why Chennai is sinking
A very good report indeed ("Chennai floods are not a natural disaster – they've been created by unrestrained construction"). We are only seeing accusations being made and faults being pointed out. But how do we as citizens help the country develop? Is there a leader among us who thinks about his country instead of filling his/her pockets? – Mohammed Irfan
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Some of the problems are entirely the fault of the city’s administration – rapid urbanisation, destruction of critical wetlands, inadequate infrastructure etc. But much of it is also the consequence of Chennai’s geography.
The city is spread across a low-lying area and is flat like a pancake. The average elevation of the city is only about 6.7 metres above mean sea-level, with many neighbourhoods actually at sea-level, which makes drainage a challenge even under normal circumstances.
The government cannot raise the elevation of the city. Under normal circumstances, the government has done a good job as you don't see floods during the monsoon. But there is nothing you can do when it rains non-stop for a week; this is a natural disaster. – Preetham Gangai
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The article brings a lot of facts to the fore. However, the writer's query about whether our "dumb engineers" will be able to build a smart city is misguided and prejudiced. He is convinced that engineers are to blame for bad planning. This is not true. It is like saying that inefficient policemen are to blame for all the crimes that take place. The fact is that engineers are powerless in the face of the mafia involving politicians and builders, whose interests supersede everything else. – George Francis
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I agree with most of what has been said in the article. However, I take exception to the query about our "dumb engineers".
While designing and constructing buildings, engineers are severely constrained by the budget and manpower allocated to them by the developer. So the blame for failing to construct adequate drainage systems in these new low-lying areas should fall on the "dumb and greedy" developers for failing to provide a budget for drainage. The "greedy and corrupt" politicians and bureaucrats should also be blamed for failing to inspect and regulate the activities of these developers.
Labels like "dumb" only serve to discourage people from taking up engineering as a career. I hope your future articles target those who have the power to make a difference – the government and private developers – so that engineers can then do their jobs well. – Uttara
***
Your article is timely and highlights the important facts. You mentioned that there was a plan to make Ponneri a smart city. Ponneri means golden lake in Tamil. Given the recent floods, can a city made in the golden lake really be smart?
Also, our engineers are not dumb. They are professionally trained to build, not to maintain or repair the many water bodies that dot the southern landscape. – Anupama Krishnamurthy
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This article is highly informative and presents the entire picture without missing a single detail. It is a pity that successive governments, irrespective of their political backgrounds, have been ignoring this basic need of keeping the natural water drains open to prevent natural calamities such as the one we are facing today.
Neither the politicians nor the officials concerned paid attention to these problems for decades. Unfortunately, in our democratic system, public participation is negligible. Ultimately, people will have to suffer.
The people of Chennai should take a holy oath to only vote for a party which would promise to solve all these problems. – PR Amarnath
***
A very insightful article. It showcases the plight of most modern metros, where development is driven by real estate prices and natural topography is sidelined. – Sangeetha Sampath
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A very good report indeed ("Chennai floods are not a natural disaster – they've been created by unrestrained construction"). We are only seeing accusations being made and faults being pointed out. But how do we as citizens help the country develop? Is there a leader among us who thinks about his country instead of filling his/her pockets? – Mohammed Irfan
***
Some of the problems are entirely the fault of the city’s administration – rapid urbanisation, destruction of critical wetlands, inadequate infrastructure etc. But much of it is also the consequence of Chennai’s geography.
The city is spread across a low-lying area and is flat like a pancake. The average elevation of the city is only about 6.7 metres above mean sea-level, with many neighbourhoods actually at sea-level, which makes drainage a challenge even under normal circumstances.
The government cannot raise the elevation of the city. Under normal circumstances, the government has done a good job as you don't see floods during the monsoon. But there is nothing you can do when it rains non-stop for a week; this is a natural disaster. – Preetham Gangai
***
The article brings a lot of facts to the fore. However, the writer's query about whether our "dumb engineers" will be able to build a smart city is misguided and prejudiced. He is convinced that engineers are to blame for bad planning. This is not true. It is like saying that inefficient policemen are to blame for all the crimes that take place. The fact is that engineers are powerless in the face of the mafia involving politicians and builders, whose interests supersede everything else. – George Francis
***
I agree with most of what has been said in the article. However, I take exception to the query about our "dumb engineers".
While designing and constructing buildings, engineers are severely constrained by the budget and manpower allocated to them by the developer. So the blame for failing to construct adequate drainage systems in these new low-lying areas should fall on the "dumb and greedy" developers for failing to provide a budget for drainage. The "greedy and corrupt" politicians and bureaucrats should also be blamed for failing to inspect and regulate the activities of these developers.
Labels like "dumb" only serve to discourage people from taking up engineering as a career. I hope your future articles target those who have the power to make a difference – the government and private developers – so that engineers can then do their jobs well. – Uttara
***
Your article is timely and highlights the important facts. You mentioned that there was a plan to make Ponneri a smart city. Ponneri means golden lake in Tamil. Given the recent floods, can a city made in the golden lake really be smart?
Also, our engineers are not dumb. They are professionally trained to build, not to maintain or repair the many water bodies that dot the southern landscape. – Anupama Krishnamurthy
***
This article is highly informative and presents the entire picture without missing a single detail. It is a pity that successive governments, irrespective of their political backgrounds, have been ignoring this basic need of keeping the natural water drains open to prevent natural calamities such as the one we are facing today.
Neither the politicians nor the officials concerned paid attention to these problems for decades. Unfortunately, in our democratic system, public participation is negligible. Ultimately, people will have to suffer.
The people of Chennai should take a holy oath to only vote for a party which would promise to solve all these problems. – PR Amarnath
***
A very insightful article. It showcases the plight of most modern metros, where development is driven by real estate prices and natural topography is sidelined. – Sangeetha Sampath
