PERAMBALUR: Perambalur residents’ joy over their years-long demand to restore the Thuraimangalam lake finally being heeded to has become short-lived as the project for its restoration and development as a tourist spot launched in March 2024 has hardly seen any progress for nearly a year. The lake spread over approximately 150 acres near the Three-Junction Road along the Tiruchy-Chennai national highway is maintained by the water resources department (WRD).
The waterbody fed by the Vellanthangi Amma lake once full sees surplus water released into the nearby Thuraimangalam small lake. Once a key irrigation source for nearby villages, the Thuraimangalam lake has taken a hit from a lack of maintenance, encroachments and seemai karuvelam (prosopis) growth over the past decade, complain residents.
Following multiple petitions from residents and activists, former district collector K Karpagam launched a restoration project with an allocation of Rs 98 lakh towards removing encroachments in the lake, strengthening the bunds and introducing facilities such as a walkway and boating in the waterbody, among others. In March 2024, the WRD commenced work by clearing encroachments and strengthening some portions of the lake bund. A walkway was also laid in parts.
Following then collector Karpagam’s transfer in July 2024, the project work, however, slowed down before coming to a halt in October, sources said. Residents now urge the authorities to resume and complete the project before the lake falls “into further neglect”. S Ragavan, a local activist, said, “The lake once looked like a river and was important to us. It, however, was not taken care of for many years. Restoring the lake is a big step but now the work has been stopped, sadly.”
“Since then, there has been little official follow-up. Seemai karuvelam has started to grow back, further deteriorating the condition of the lake,” he added. When contacted, a WRD official told TNIE, “The contractor has stopped work due to the allocated funds not having been released in entirety. We need at least Rs 3 crore to complete the walkway, excluding the boating facility. We, however, will take up the matter with the incumbent district collector.”