News Tamil Nadu

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram Demands White Paper From DMK Govt On Cooum River Restoration

September 2, 2024
The Commune

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram has called for a comprehensive white paper detailing all initiatives to clean up the Cooum River. The demand, made by the DMK ally, follows revelations from Chennai Mayor R Priya that ₹529 crore has been spent out of the ₹750 crore allocated for the river’s restoration.

Taking to social media platform X, Karti Chidambaram urged the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) to provide detailed information on the progress and effectiveness of these schemes. “A white paper on all the schemes to date that promised to clean up the Cooum is needed! Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust must release it,” Chidambaram wrote.

In a letter to the Mayor, Karti Chidambaram wrote made a formal request for a white paper on the Cooum River restoration efforts, reflecting concerns over the river’s severe pollution. Noting the historical significance of the river to Chennai, he mentioned how the Cooum River is currently plagued by extremely poor water quality, including high levels of bacterial contamination and heavy metals, starkly contrasting its once-pristine state. He wrote, “In your recent response to the Zonal chairman, you mentioned the ongoing efforts, including the provision of technical assistance and funds from US authorities. However, there seems to be a lack of clarity regarding these efforts” and requested for a comprehensive white paper from the Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust detailing all restoration schemes, their objectives, timelines, expenditures, and outcomes.

Chidambaram also called for an update on the river’s current status, financial assessments, future plans, and public engagement mechanisms. He also raised concerns about the high levels of untreated sewage entering the Cooum and similar issues affecting the Buckingham Canal and Adyar River.

He stated, “Releasing this white paper will not only enhance transparency but also foster greater public confidence and support for ongoing and future restoration efforts.”

What Does Chennai Corporation Say On Cooum River Restoration

Chennai Mayor R Priya recently revealed that ₹529 crore has already been spent on the restoration of the Cooum River. The Mayor also announced that U.S. authorities have agreed to offer technical assistance and funding for the ongoing project.

The Mayor’s comments were in response to a query raised by Nolambur Zonal Chairman V Rajan during a council meeting. Rajan noted that the Cooum River was relatively clean until the 1980s and mentioned that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, during his tenure as Mayor, had involved a Singapore-based firm in early restoration efforts.

What Is The Cooum River Restoration Project?

The Cooum River, which originates from the surplus course of the Cooum tank in Tiruvallur District, flows eastward for about 65 kilometres before emptying into the Bay of Bengal downstream of Napier Bridge. Approximately 20 kilometres of the river pass through Chennai city limits.

The eco-restoration efforts for the Cooum aim to curb pollution, protect the river through sustainable methods, and encourage inter-sectoral coordination for comprehensive planning and management.

The Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust, responsible for the river’s revival, has acknowledged that the Cooum River has effectively become an urban sewer within the city limits, receiving untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and refuse from nearby settlements. The Trust highlighted that the river’s heavily polluted state has led to public apathy and the improper disposal of solid waste on the riverbed, further degrading water quality and oxygen levels downstream.

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