Community-led solution sought to tackle recurring flooding in Vyasarpadi

CHENNAI: A recent survey by civic groups, including the Chennai Climate Action Group (CCAG), Vyasai Thozhargal, and the Youth Climate Resilience Movement (YCRM), has highlighted the flooding in Vyasarpadi, a recurring threat year after year, severely impacting the residents lives, livelihoods, and health. The survey of 120 residents found that over the years, 99.2% had been affected by flooding, 95% reported loss of income, and 37.5% suffered waterborne or vector-borne diseases, often with little or no access to medical care. Other major impacts included property damage to vehicles and homes (57.5%), loss of critical documents (23.3%), and physical injuries (12%). Rise in prices of essential commodities during floods further worsened the situation, affecting all respondents. Despite being surrounded by major waterways such as the Buckingham Canal to the east, Otteri nullah to the south, and Captain Cotton Canal to the north, Vyasarpadi remains highly flood-prone. The report attributes this to blocked channels, fly ash deposits, and encroachments on wetlands. The report cited, as per a joint expert committee appointed by the NGT, fly ash has covered approximately 3.51 sq km of Ennore Creek and 1.51 sq km of the Kosasthalaiyar River, an area equivalent to 492 football fields, often creating bottlenecks for floodwater flow, resulting in floodwaters reaching 3.5 feet inside houses. Dinesh, a Class 11 student and YCRM member, said, While removing encroachments is difficult, the government must urgently clear blockages and fly ash deposits. The proposed waste-to-energy plant near Kodungaiyur could endanger another wetland, which is crucial to protect against floods. The report also highlighted socio-economic disparities in flood impact. Unlike South Chennai, residents of North Chennai, particularly in Vyasarpadi with high proportion of dalit community, face greater hardships. Many earn between Rs 2,000 and Rs 15,000, working as sanitary workers, auto drivers, among others. The report calls for a bottom-up approach to flood resilience, combining active community involvement, effective drainage management, monitoring of industrial deposits, and better communication, alongside measures to control inflation and ensure timely relief.