COIMBATORE: Volunteers from Udayampalayam and Chinnavedampatti have initiated renovation of a four-acre pond on the outskirts of the city. After getting permission from the district collector Kranthi Kumar Pati, over 300 volunteers, who earlier restored the 200-acre Chinnavedampatti lake, are now renovating the Kadaikaali Kuttai.
S Sivaraja, one of the coordinators of the project, said, “The inlets got blocked over a period of time, and there was no water in the pond in the last two decades. Originally, the pond spread over more than four acres. Now it has been reduced to 2.5 acres due to encroachment.”
“Work to remove shrubs and bushes was undertaken with the use of earthmovers. Once the work is completed, we plan to strengthen the bund on the west and north sides. After that, around 400 saplings in 28 native varieties would be planted in the pond,” he said.
Care Earth Trust from Chennai has joined hands with the volunteers in the work which is being carried out with a donation of Rs 3.5 lakh CSR funds by a private organisation. The works are expected to be completed in three weeks.