Chennai experienced its worst floods in recent history. While unexpected and heavy rainfall was initially held responsible for the flooding, analysis has further shown that destruction of wetlands in Chennai, which stands strategically at the tail end of several rivers, was a primary reason as well. Town planners see only land, not water, and everyone wants buildings and more buildings. Cities like Hyderabad and Bengaluru, too, have lost their wetlands and lakes due to urban expansion, pollution and catchment loss. The loss of the urban wetlands and lakes in these urban centres caused almost 4-6 major flooding events in the last decade. The story continues in other cities of India which are both water-scarce as well as prone to flooding. Both problems are related – excessive construction which leads to poor recharge of groundwater aquifers and blocking of natural drainage systems.
Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, and Pondycan, Puducherry, are jointly holding a one-day media briefing-cum workshop on the subject “Surface Tension” in Puducherry on February 29, 2016, to discuss the poor state of lakes and wetlands of India that are dying due to urbanisation. Chennai and South India will be the focus of discussion.
CSE would like to invite Chennai and Tamil Nadu-based journalists to the workshop. We will support/make arrangement for the travel of journalists to Pudicherry.
Please contact Anupam Srivastava, asrivastava@cseindia.org, 99100 93893, for further information or to express interest in attending the workshop.
Where: Puducherry
When: February 29, 2016
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