Cognizant Technology, Larsen & Toubro, and Ashok Leyland and many others have pledged financial support to the Greater Chennai Corporation for eco-restoration of 104 small-sized water bodies in the city.
The support was expressed in the light of a meet held on Thursday, presided by Corporation Commissioner and Special Officer D Karthikeyan, to discuss all the possibilities of corporate funding for the eco-restoration projects.
Representatives of 20 corporate firms and non-governmental bodies, including Rotary Club of Madras, Cognizant Technology Solutions, L & T, Ashok Leyland and others were present on the occasion.
Even as the idea to involve big corporate companies was presented in January 2018, the city corporation couldn’t do much on this front to make a deal with any firm till now.
TNUIFSL is currently preparing detailed project reports for these water bodies for the companies to start the work of eco-restoration, a statement said..
Meanwhile, the corporation is still looking to rope in more corporate firms and has already sent an open invitation to all interested parties.
206 water bodies have already been identified which require the immediate eco-restoration process. Among these, 32 water bodies are in the process of renovation in the budget of Rs 5.85 crores. Another amount of Rs 5.95 crores will be spent by the civic body to renovate six more water bodies.
Detailed reports have been prepared by Chennai Rivers Restoration for the eco-restoration of Kadaperi lake in Manali and Nesavalar Nagar lake in Perungudi. The work will cost Rs 25.29 crore and an additional Rs 40.07 crore to renovate 38 water bodies in Kosasthalaiyar river basin has been finalised by the city corporation.
This eco-restoration project will go alongside the integrated Storm Water Drain work planned in the Kosasthalaiyar river basin.
