Encroachments on creeks worsen flooding in Surat
The report, 'Mara Surat Ni Surat - Citizen Report', was released by Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti and People's Union for Civil Liberties on Wednesday. It was prepared by a team consisting of Avadhut Atre and Buddhavikas Athawale, both MA (Development) students at Azim Premji University in Bangalore; Krishnakant Chauhan, an advocate; and Sugeet Pathakji, an architect.
Every monsoon, there is flooding and waterlogging in various areas of the city near creeks.
Flooding affects not only residential areas but also textile markets, causing losses worth crores and health issues.
The report identifies various locations in the city using satellite imagery, to show how major portions of creeks have been encroached on.
"We used imagery from 2011 and 2025 to identify these spots. Earlier, at these locations, water in the creeks would spread out in case of heavy rain. Now, due to construction or the raising of land, these natural channels have been blocked," said Atre.
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Expounding the dumping of waste with imagery, Athawale said, "A vast quantity of waste is dumped in the creeks, blocking the flow of water. We found locations where waterways merging into creeks have disappeared or narrowed."
The team shared the photographs and satellite imagery of various locations to assert their contentions. "We found roads and concrete walls built to contain rivulets and create a bowl shape. This has stopped water from entering the creeks and reduced their carrying capacity," said Pathakji.
The team identified various locations where waterlogging is an issue every monsoon and showed how the blocking of channels to creeks was the reason for it.
"At the creek near Dindoli, the meandering course was straightened like a road. This has reduced the water carrying capacity and does not allow the water to spread over a wider space," said Chauhan.
The team submitted the report to the city civic body and recommended measures to prevent floods in the city. The team also highlighted that a post-monsoon study needs to be conducted by civic authorities to identify problems and find solutions to them.
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