Chennai's new problem: water

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It is probably a first for Chennai. The city's residents, who are plagued with water problems, now have too much water! With the Telugu Ganga project in full flow, is Chennai equipped to handle the pressure of water? CNBC-TV18 reports.

Water gushing in from Andhra Pradesh's Kandaleru reservoir into Chennai - This was hailed as the answer to Chennai's water woes. But five months later, authorities are now scrambling to find space to store this water. In four months, Chennai's largest reservoir Poondi was filled to the brim.

So for the first time ever, water from Poondi was released simultaneously to the other 3 reservoirs - Red Hills, Chembarambakkam and Cholavaram. In less than a month, all three reservoirs are full. But the water continues to flow in.

"All their efforts have resulted in upping the overall capacity of all 4 reservoirs to just over 11 tmc," says Rajarethinam, Secretary, Public Works Department.

Residents of Pillayar Koil Street in Ambattur have been wading through knee-deep water for the past week. And this water is coming in from the overflowing reservoir.

"There are lots of mosquitoes here due to the water. Dogs die and rot in the water. And because of this, all of us keep falling ill," complains Lakshmi, a resident of Ambattur.

Over 500 homes have been under water here for the last week. Local authorities have cut off electricity supply because of fears of electrocution.

Chennai's perennial thirst for water will soon be quenched, thanks to the Telugu Ganga project. But the state government's ambition must have firm roots in the necessary infrastructure.