CHENNAI : While on one hand, lakes across Chennai have been vanishing, on the other, concerned residents of Korattur have tied up with the State government to restore 590 acres of polluted Korattur Lake into a eco-park. The lake near Ambattur will be converted into an eco-park similar to the one present at Chetpet, said officials from the Water Resources Department.
Korattur, a locality in the western parts of Chennai, is surrounded by many hazardous industries and factories. And according to tests by Metro Water, it was found that Korattur lake was highly polluted by toxic industrial effluents and sewage from neighbouring houses too. Turbidity, PH and salinity levels were so high that Metro Water decided against drawing water from the lake when the water crisis was at its peak, two months ago.
Hence, to add a green touch to the otherwise polluted lake, officials had proposed to turn it into an eco-park. They have written to the State government to allocate `40 crore to build boundary walls and a walking path.This effort at eco-restoration will take place along with the local resident welfare association’s help, said officials. Residents will assist in planting 250 species of herbal plants and trees and also install two recharge wells around the lake.
“We have been approaching every government official concerned, for the desilting of the lake since January. It is ideal to desilt it now as the lake bed is completely dry. But as Chennai district doesn’t have a mining department, this is not taking off,” said S Sekaran, a member from the people’s movement for protection of Korattur Eri.
Officials said most of the construction work for the boardwalk has been completed and in the next 10 days, people can take walks along the lake. “After we get enough funds, a space for children to play, benches and lighting will be done. Once the eco-park is completed and thrown open to the public, we are planning to entrust the Korattur residents welfare association with its maintenance,” said a senior official from the Water Resources Department, a wing of the Public Works Department.So far, two structures called mud plants have been built on the lake bed, from which different varieties of birds that visit the lake regularly, can quench their thirst and hunger.
Corpn reclaims 5 acres of land at Adyar
Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation on Saturday reclaimed 5.20 acres worth `212 crore from St.Patrick’s Educational Institution at Adyar which had encroached the site for a long time, according to a release. This comes in the wake of Madras High Court giving green signal to the corporation to take back the encroached land which was in litigation since 2005.
According to the release, during a court proceedings in 2013, though the corporation had all documents to prove that the land belonged to it, it was not impleaded and was not aware of the proceedings. Subsequently, the land still continued to be used by the school. Following this, the corporation went on an appeal. On July 15, a division bench set aside an earlier order and ruled in favour of the civic body. Corporation officials then sent a notice to the school in the last week of July over reclamation.