Chennai: The city corporation was yesterday ordered by the Madras High Court to produce all files on the government order granting Rs 1,101.43 crore under World Bank funding to construct an integrated stormwater drain.
The petitioner N Shanmugam sought the high court to direct the civic body to lay the integrated rainwater drain without laying concrete cement. The bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad issued the directive.
According to the petitioner, if concrete was avoided then rainwater can percolate into the soil. The judges went through the report of the superintending engineer of the corporation. They then directed the corporation to produce all records on the estimate and construction of 529 silt catch pits with rainwater harvesting systems and their photographs.
According to a media report, the judges bench referring to the corporation official’s report said that if a silt catch pit with rainwater harvesting was to be created in the inlet points of the stormwater drain at every 30-metre interval, this will recharge the ground and help in percolation. And so there was no need for construction of interceptor and diversion (I&D) works, and construction of modular sewage treatment plant along Cooum and Adayar river banks. The project comes under the eco-restoration of both the rivers under the Chennai River Restoration Trust (CRRT).
In an earlier hearing, the bench had suggested that rainwater can be stored at some places and desilting plants can be established, instead of letting it into the rivers.
Details of the estimation and the cost of construction of 80 wells in government properties which fed from the drains and the details of the RWH well created at the inlet points of stormwater drain was also sought. The bench directed to submit the details of the construction of RWH in the parks in the city with the estimate and expenditure. The next hearing will take place today.