In Chengalpattu district, the main water channels of the Kovalam-Nemmeli coastal wetland, which drains a catchment of more than 270 square kilometres, have currently been blocked. Barriers that obstruct water flow have been built across Chennai's Buckingham Canal at three places: Thiruvidanthai-Vadanemmeli, near the Nemmeli-Thiruporur bridge, and Saluvankuppam. Earlier, we explored how the Mamallan Reservoir causes serious damage to the wetland’s ecology and how fishing livelihoods are affected. Field investigations by the Wetland Conservation Network have recorded the blockages preventing tidal exchange in the Buckingham Canal. According to officials, these barriers were put up to enable construction of the Mamallan…
Another insightful article.
I have couple of suggestion to add. In many apartment complexes, the cost of water (whether due to tanker supply or bore water or Cauvery) is a shared cost. This cost is normally recovered as a part of maintenance fee from residents, which is normally a function of area of the individual apartment. There is *no* billing based on actual usage.
If we want to start looking at water as a precious resource, we need to also enforce metering and charging based on usage, at an individual apartment level. Otherwise, it will be a tale of tragedy of commons – with no incentive for reduced water usage/wastage and no penalties for excess usage.
For usage of bore-wells and rain-water harvesting, again similar principles should be applied. Water drawn from bore-well must be charged on metered basis (at a cost lesser than what is charged for Cauvery) and rain-water harvested should be rewarded monetarily (similar to how one can earn money today by supplying solar power to the grid).
We need to rejuvenate all the lakes in and around Bangalore some more lakes which are large and can help us with quenching the water issue if we dont act now this city will be a ghost city without water.
– Jigani Lake
– Hulimangala Lake
– Bedduru Kere Lake
– 4 Lakes in Bannerghatta Area
– Gottigere Lake
– Arekere Lake