seetha@indiawaterportal.org

New lease of life for three wetlands in Chennai

News this week seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 6 years 4 months ago

The recently restored Narayanapuram wetland. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)

Chennai's struggle with segregation

Inefficient solid waste management results in waste piles that contribute to urban flooding in cities like Chennai. While most citizens blame civic authorities for the lapse, are they doing their bit? seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 6 years 7 months ago

Perungudi dump yard chokes the Pallikaranai marshland.

Muck tale: How Cooum lost its holy status

A group of heritage enthusiasts trail the Cooum to come up with astounding details of a holy river that has become a sewage carrier. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 2 months ago

The Cooum as it flows through Chennai today.

When wetlands refuse to wilt away

The revival of Narayanapuram wetland is a fitting example that good things can come out of government’s willingness to associate with independent organisations for the betterment of the society. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 3 months ago

A sip of seawater

Desalination is considered a solution to increasing water shortage in the world. A few functional desalination plants in Tamil Nadu, however, show a different picture. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 3 months ago

A view of the Nemmeli desalination plant in Chennai. (Image courtesy: Business Today)

In harm’s way: Pulicat lagoon

Keeping Pulicat lagoon healthy is paramount to the health of the Chennai’s ecosystem. What is happening instead is its slow degradation. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 3 months ago

Pulicat lagoon is the second largest brackish water body in the country after Odisha's Chilika lake. (Image: Seetha Gopalakrishnan, IWP)

Solar water pumps for efficient irrigation

Solar pumps are cost-effective, environment-friendly and have good potential in places with high water table. Sehgal Foundation, that piloted 14 solar pumps in two districts of Bihar, shows how. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 4 months ago

Zero tillage machine mounted on a tractor.

Beyond drought: Tamil Nadu's chain of misfortunes

Tamil Nadu continues to witness cycles of flood and drought annually. Mismanagement of traditional water management systems is one of the main reasons. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 4 months ago

Parched land (Image courtesy: Ink Freezer)

Chennai coast chokes on oil

Lack of preparedness by government authorities in dealing with the massive oil spill on the Chennai coast has transformed it into one of the worst crises on the coast. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 4 months ago

Oil sludge being manually removed from the rocky coast. (Image courtesy: The Indian Express)

No man's land

The state of the poromboke lands in Chennai signifies the deteriorating nature of its ecology. Saving them is important not just to preserve a tradition but also to safeguard growing urban spaces. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 5 months ago

The Ennore creek choked by fly ash. (Screen grab from the Chennai poromboke paadal)

Chennai takes the wooded road

Better green cover could be a way to reduce the extent of disaster a Vardah could bring. Here’s a lowdown on the trees that Chennai must have. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 5 months ago

One of the many trees uprooted by cyclone Vardah in Chennai (Image: Seetha Gopalakrishnan, IWP)

Changing coast affects livelihood

While sundry development and infrastructure projects beautify the Chennai coastline, fishermen are left to fend for themselves. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 5 months ago

Storm after a lull

After a brief interval, the north-east monsoon made its presence felt through the cyclonic storm Vardah, terrorising both coastal Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 6 months ago

One of the many calamities of cyclone Vardah in Jawahar Nagar near Perambur.

For a flood-free Chennai

Chennai’s topography, along with civic apathy, official lethargy and a complete disregard for its natural floodplains see the city reeling under severe waterlogging every year. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 6 months ago

Home to over 300 species of birds, the Pallikaranai marsh is being increasingly threatened by rapid urbanisation. (Image: IWP Flickr)

Remembering Amma’s generosity

Apart from her charisma, Jayalalithaa will be remembered for her untiring efforts to make food and water available for the people. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 6 months ago

Amma rose to popularity with her many welfare schemes for the poor.

World Toilet Day: Beyond BCC

Though toilets are being constructed rapidly across India, questions remain about their acceptance and usage. Until that happens, complete 'swachhta' cannot be realised. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 7 months ago

Children pose outside a toilet in Sanarpudur village, Namakkal.

A city pond of its Aayi

Aayi Kulam in Puducherry is not just a pond that does its job of recharging the groundwater. It is a slice of history that needs to be preserved. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 7 months ago

Reviving pond naturally

One of the temple ponds of Kooram, neglected for years, has been revived by well-meaning citizens. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 7 months ago

The renovated Samathamman temple pond in Kooram.

Keeping beach body in shape

Changing coastlines lead to erosion and threaten livelihoods of people dependent on it for survival. Artificial embankments provide temporary relief, but add to the problem in the long run. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 8 months ago

Seawall lines Pondicherry's Promenade beach. (Image courtesy: Lalit Verma for India’s disappearing beaches - A wake up call)

Who cares for a canal?

Buckingham canal in Chennai plays a crucial role in flood mitigation. It is rapidly deteriorating and needs immediate attention to avoid a repeat of last year's flood. seetha@indiawaterportal.org posted 7 years 8 months ago

Elevated MRTS rail line right on the canal in Adyar (Image: Seetha Gopalakrishnan, IWP)