Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), a non-profit organisation based out of Besant Nagar, is leading Chennai’s innovative ‘Spongify’ approach to combat persistent water challenges. This groundbreaking strategy is now visible with the establishment of the first Sponge Park in Sholinganallur.
EFI champions these ‘Sponge Parks’ as vital blue-green infrastructures designed to absorb, retain, filter, and slowly release rain and stormwater. This approach not only significantly reduces urban flooding but also actively replenishes groundwater and improves water quality, serving as a crucial nature-based solution for Chennai’s increasing climate resilience needs.
The Sholinganallur site, strategically located in a flood-prone and economically vibrant zone along the Buckingham Canal, marks the inaugural project. EFI is developing six such parks across Chennai in collaboration with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), central to their vision for a water-positive city by curtailing localised flooding and enhancing groundwater stability.
Beyond their ecological benefits, these parks also create new public green spaces that can double as fitness setups, delivering tangible results sooner than anticipated. EFI’s efforts are integral to Chennai’s broader reinvention as a ‘BlueGreen Capital of India’, working towards a future where all ponds are full and no lakes empty! “If and when in Chennai next, do take 2 hours off your schedule to visit water projects in this BlueGreen Capital of India,” requests EFI.
