OMR residents’ federation forms group to assess impact of waterbodies restoration

The Federation of OMR Residents Welfare Association (FOMRRA) has formed “Eco-watch”, a volunteer group to monitor and document the outcome of water bodies’ restoration projects in areas along Rajiv Gandhi Salai.

Volunteers, who represent about 250 residential communities in the southern localities, reviewed the condition of three water bodies post restoration. Though several restoration initiatives have been taken up in water bodies like Thamarai Keni, Raman Thangal and Subramanya tank in Sholinganallur, volunteers noted that the initiatives have not fully translated into the intended hydrological and ecological benefits as planned.

Residents are involved in tracking the works, assessing the outcomes and documenting the specific issues involving the water bodies after restoration. For instance, old plantations have been disturbed during new projects, and there was no tracking system for maintenance or monitoring the performance of completed works.

Harsha Koda, co-founder, FOMRRA, said the “Eco-watch” group highlighted that bunds have been raised on all sides, leaving no space for runoff to flow into the Raman Thangal pond. Similarly, the water bodies in Thamarai Keni and Raman Thangal are not interconnected, and the surplus water is diverted through temporary channels on vacant lands. These design issues may limit the extent of benefits expected, like flood mitigation and groundwater recharge.

“Eco-watch” volunteers also pointed out that some of the water bodies are being reshaped into uniform rectangular ones, often ignoring natural contours. Another water body, Periya eri, has been heavily encroached upon, and the restoration project has defined a new boundary that reduced its size. FOMRRA has formed such volunteer groups to involve the community and address civic issues and various concerns. The latest ‘support group, “Mind Matters”, has been formed to create a space for discussing mental health issues and foster awareness.

The association plans to expand its survey to more water bodies and share the insights with the government agencies to aid in better management of water resources.