As Chennai receives some rain, officials use motor pumps to drain water across the city.
What’s happening? Zonal officials have been ordered to use high-powered motor pumps near drains. In some areas, they have no choice since the drains haven’t been completed. While there was some rain for the past couple of days, there wasn’t much water stagnation in some of the core areas. The Corporation requires more than 700 pumps to be placed in more than 400 areas.
- In case of heavy rains, which have been forecasted, due to the drain’s limited carrying capacity, it takes time for the water to flow. So, pumps are being used.
- A single high-power motor pump can remove up to 11,700 litres of water per day.
Concerns and deja vu: Some experts ask if the Corporation should release the water. Many of the flood carriers in the city are filled with sewage due to encroachments. These have to be removed. There’s also concern that there could be a repeat of what happened before since the Corporation hasn’t figured out where they’ll pump out the water.