The Hindu : Guindy National Park to adopt RWH

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 19, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Guindy National Park to adopt RWH

By P.Oppili

CHENNAI AUG. 18. The rainwater from Raj Bhavan and Guindy National Park, which was hitherto flowing into the sewage in Velachery will now flow into a harvesting system created by the Wildlife authorities.

All these years, the rainwater from Raj Bhavan, its lawn area and from the polo ground used to enter the sewer lines in Velachery through the park. With a view to arresting the water, the authorities have constructed a bund near the western end of the polo ground.

According to the Chennai Wildlife Warden, K.S.S.V.P.Reddy, every year during a heavy downpour about 10 million litres of water from Raj Bhavan and polo ground areas got drained into the sewage channel.

The field staff of the park who observed the pattern of run-off of the rainwater suggested that it could be arrested and diverted to Kathangollai, (one of the tanks inside the park) which would help in improving the ground water table.

It would also help the animal population inside the park and the migratory birds that visit the park. The suggestion was accepted.

To begin with a bund was constructed near the northern part of the polo ground in the park for a distance of about a kilometre.

This was followed by the desilting of the channels leading to the Kathangollai, said Mr Reddy. By constructing the bund and arresting the rainwater, the run-off water would be impounded and diverted to the Kathangollai tank.

The polo ground would act as a percolating point, he said.

Similarly, in the Children's Park also the authorities created small water harvesting structures around 1,500 evergreen species of saplings which were planted.

Around each sapling, a saucer like water harvesting structure was created, which would hold nearly 200 litres of rain water, said the Park authorities.

Annually 1.5 crore litres of water is required for feeding the animals at the Children's Park, cleaning the enclosures, catering to the needs of the visitors and for the residential quarters inside. Introduction of RWH system would meet a fifth of the total requirement of the park, they added.

Ensuring that green cover was widespread and undisturbed was also considered important, as this would check the soil erosion and adding to the flooding problem in the park area in general.

Widening the green belt with trees in peripheral areas of Chennai would improve the urban environment, acting as a buffer against pollution and preventing run-off water flowing into suburban residential localities, experts added.

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