In a move to strengthen river restoration efforts, the Water Resources Department plans to involve local communities and non-governmental organisations in the rejuvenation of the Cooum river.

It will soon invite expressions of interest from various stakeholders to adopt stretches of the waterway and assist the department in restoring and maintaining the waterway. The department has begun seeking suggestions through consultations with different stakeholders on rejuvenation of the Cooum river.

While multiple attempts have been made to rejuvenate the river through the coordination of various government agencies, the department is now aiming for a more comprehensive effort with public participation.

As a first step, a team of senior WRD officials held a joint inspection with various stakeholders, including representatives from voluntary organisations and Anna University and Seneerkuppam residents, on Wednesday. The team inspected the nearly 3.8 km stretch between Paruthipattu and Kannadapalayam check dams, which is proposed to be taken up as a pilot project.

Officials of the WRD said the involvement of civic associations and voluntary organisations would help improve monitoring of the river. Exnora International has also come forward to clean nearly three km between Koyambedu and Nerkundram.

While some of the improvements have been carried out in city limits under Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust, efforts now focus on rejuvenating the upper reaches till Tiruvallur, which too are facing pollution.

Solid waste management and sewage pollution are major challenges in the nearly 40 km-long upper reaches of the Cooum river as well. The department has received suggestions to allot specific reaches to each organisation for cleaning, plantation and maintenance, officials said.

Plans are on to partner with voluntary organisations to construct modular sewage treatment plants to intercept and divert raw sewage that otherwise joins the river. The WRD had recently coordinated with voluntary organisations for the construction of modular STP project along a portion of Adyar river.

V. Subramani of Exnora International, said the efforts aim to restore the river through community participation. “We have suggested taking up the stretch between Koyambedu and Nerkundram for water hyacinth removal and plantation along the banks. We suggested riverfront development and walkways to encourage public use and prevent dumping of garbage and sewage pollution,” he said.

The pilot project would be expanded to other stretches based on its outcome.