CHENNAI: After years of neglect and misuse, the Kothandaramar temple tank in West Mambalam, which was once a common source of drinking water for the locals of that area, is to be rejuvenated and restored with financial help from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited. The company has sanctioned `25 lakh towards the restoration of the tank under its corporate social responsibility programme.
The temple tank, which has been lying in a dilapidated condition with its walls collapsed, is being used in an unhygienic manner and for anti-social purposes, say local residents.“ As there is no water, people defecating inside the tank is a common sight that greets one in the morning in this area”, says Babu, a resident of West Mambalam, who is in charge of renovating the tank under the CPCL programme. “Later in the evening, the children play in the same area, running and rolling over piles of faeces, which is extremely unhygienic and dangerous to their health. Later in the night, anti- social elements gang up in the place to drink and smoke up”. This tank which was once a common source of drinking water for the entire area, has long become one of the major issues of concern in this area”, Babu added.
Babu, who is a member of Exnora’s West Mambalam regional group, says enough awareness has been created but failed to yield results. “People keep using the tank as their toilet and bar, even now. We had also taken up the issue with G Senthamizhan, the present Law Minister, who promised immediate steps, following which the CPCL grant has come to us.”
Locals say that since the tank dried up, there has been a perennial shortage of water in this area. “Wells have dried up and we need to bore deeper and deeper every time for water as the groundwater in this area has dropped drastically”, says Sumathi, a resident of Ranganathan Street. “The walls of the tank have to be reconstructed and the tank should be dredged and dug deeper so that it can store water during the next rains. Perhaps that will improve the water situation in this area,” she hoped.
