As sea water intrudes into the groundwater of the heart of Chennai city, an ecological overhaul is on the cards
Mylapore is cosmopolitan Chennai – cutting across class lines, with the rich mansions, middle income homes and the vulnerable lower income population living together in tight clusters.
In 2018, as the Chennai Corporation worked with the 100 Resilient Cities under the “Water As Leverage” programme initiated by the Netherlands Entreprise Agency and a host of organisations and experts from India and abroad, IIT Madras was commissioned to conduct groundwater samples in several locations across Mylapore.
Their findings were grim.
“There is enormous seawater intrusion due to the restaurants and businesses and residences that are pumping groundwater at huge levels,” said Eva Pfannes, Director of Ooze Architects, a Rotterdam based firm. “IIT Madras found that there was 4000 ppm (parts per million) of salt in the groundwater in Mylapore as against the acceptable standard of 500 ppm as recommended by the World Health Organisation. 500 ppm is the maximum limit that can be present in groundwater,” she told The Lede.
