MUMBAI, May 29: The yearly flooding of Mumbai's roads, an all too familiar feature of the monsoon in the city, could very well be due to its geographical location. The city's location near the sea and its soil quality are cited as being responsible to a large extent for the occurrence of floods during the rains.

Every year, reports of flooding are followed by statements by the railway and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials venting their anger on the sea.

It is claimed that since Mumbai is surrounded by the sea, all precautionary measures against flooding are rendered null and void. Experts point out that the sea is the only outlet for rainwater.

But during a high tide, the rainwater is denied this outlet, and hence floods back into the city.

An environmental expert added that the city's soil is very sandy, and does not permit rainwater to be absorbed easily, as is the case with other cities. This water collects in low-lying areas, resulting in flooding.

Former councillor Arun Chapekar explained that there the problem of flooding arises only when there is a high tide. ``The sea water enters the city, which not only blocks the water from going out but also adds to the flooding,''he said.

A committee appointed by the BMC in 1979 had recommended that high walls be constructed along the sea-shore and the water from the city be discharged into the sea by using pumps. The estimated cost of the project in 1979 was Rs 10 crores. The corporation rejected the proposals as being financially unviable.

Debi Goenka of the `Save Mumbai Committee' cited other reasons, this time, man-made, as being responsible for the flooding. According to him, flooding is largely a function of three factors, all of which can be addressed to a large extent.

He suggested the development of a large number of mangroves within the city to make up for the sandy nature of the soil. ``These mangroves have the unique property of acting like a giant sponge, releasing water gradually. This helps in both arresting the flooding and keeping the soil wet for a longer time.''

Goenka also implicates land reclamation, which is carried out on a large scale in Mumbai. The level of reclaimed land is often much lower than the level of the sea, leading to water clogging. ``Such areas do not have any natural outlets for water,'' he added.

Land concretisation has further compounded the problem. Goenka pointed out that the cementing of compound land by housing societies does not permit rain water to be easily absorbed by the soil. Corporation officials have expressed their helplessness. Assistant municipal commissioner Sreedhar Joshi stuck to the high tide theory as being responsible for flooding.

However, most experts feel that flooding in the city could be arrested to some extent if the drains were thoroughly cleaned and the garbage regularly disposed off.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.