CHENNAI: Though some lakes, ponds and temple tanks in the city are brimming, there is a feeling among residents and activists that the challenge is removing encroachments, plugging sewage flow and desilting the water bodies.Chennai faced a 12 per cent rainfall deficit this monsoon, recording 58.44 cm against the normal of 66.44 cm. Some major lakes that are full are at Porur, Retteri, Chitlapakkam, Madambakkam, Pallavaram, Keelkattai, Thiruneermalai, Medavakkam and Avadi.
Sunil Jayaraman of Chitlapakkam Rising, a social-welfare group, said the lakes have to be desilted at least by 2020 to enable people reap the benefits. “The Chitlapakkam lake is 50 per cent full, but it is contaminated due to sewage and drainage. The issue is the same with Sembakkam and Selaiyur lakes,’’ he said, adding that, even though there is enough water in the lakes, not even a drop of run off water was saved.
The story is the same with overflowing Pallavaram and Thiruneermalai lakes. Pallavaram resident and civic activist David Manohar said Pallavaram lake is home to 99 per cent sewage from the locality. “The bunds have not been raised nor sewage been cleared. Last year itself, the municipality had to do this during summer,’’ he said.
He added that Keezhkattalai and Narayanapuram lakes are relatively less polluted, but since a sewage treatment plant is near Keelkattalai lake, during inundation, the municipality without treating waste water, lets it into the lake. In Thiruneermalai lake, recently, thousands of fish died allegedly due to contamination. Restoration of this lake too has been tardy and sewage continues to be let in.
However, on the brighter side, the civic body and NGOs are keen in restoring a large number of lakes. Arun Krishnamurthy, founder, Environmentalist Foundation of India, a water body restoration group, said 54 water bodies in the city had been restored by them.
Some lakes restored by EFI are in Ambattur, Ennore, Velachery, ECR and OMR. “Construction debris, non-degradable waste, sewage inlet and uneven bunds were some of the problems faced,’’ he said.
The Corporation too has restored about 135 small lakes out of the proposed 210 while it has recharged nearly hundred temple tanks. Corporation officials said restoration of 74 lakes is in progress.