The Jawadu Hills Bioengineering Proposal

A Geo-engineering proposal was in news recently to modify the Jawadu Hills to solve the problem of water scarcity in Chennai. How feasible technically and economically  are such projects in Indian context in your opinion?  What could be the possible adverse environmental effects of such projects.

This proposal aims to modify the mountain in such a way that maximum rains can be extracted from the moisture laden North East Monsoon winds that pass over Chennai during the winter season.

Such projects are not viable in Indian context for the following reasons:

• Exorbitant cost
• Lack of experimental data so that such models can be simulated on computer before any actual work begins.
• Absence of large engineering firms that can take up such projects.
• Displacement of large number of people during implementation of such projects.

Such projects , in addition to their unavailability can greatly harm the environment : they can cause landslides ; earthquakes ; unexpected rainfall and flooding.