CHENNAI: The Paruthipattu lake at Avadi will soon turn greener, thanks to the massive sapling plantation drive conducted on Saturday. As many as 1,000 plants were placed around the periphery of the lake. The initiative, titled Trees for Birds, was organised by Isha’s Project GreenHands and Ma Foi Foundation in collaboration with Green Kalam Foundation in memory of the late President APJ Abdul Kalam’s death anniversary.
Paruthipattu lake near Avadi is an eco-park spread over an area of 200 acres in a lush green zone located nearly 23 km from the city. “According to a survey conducted in 2004, about 60 per cent of the land in Tamil Nadu will transform into a desert in 35 years. We wanted to do something about it and embarked on a mission to achieve 33 per cent green cover in the state. This is a step towards the same goal and it can be achieved quicker if everyone actively takes part in it,” said Swami Rabhya, co-ordinator, Isha Green School Movement.
Fruit trees, flowering and shade trees such as neem, Indian beech (pungai), lebbeck (iyalvagai), jamun, fig, peepal, badam and mahuwa (iluppai), all over five feet tall were planted. “This beautiful lake which spreads over 86 acres was once a 300-acre waterbody. It is great that the lake is at least being preserved now. The public must take responsibility to preserve all the waterbodies and stop encroachments on their part,” said actor Vivekh who was also a part of the event.
Calling the need for restoring other water bodies in the city, Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, K Pandiarajan said, “College students as part of their NSS activities must take up lake and pond cleaning. All outdoor projects must be based on water conservation and preservation so that Chennai does not face an acute water crisis that it has faced this year.”
Mageswari Ravikumar, collector of Tiruvallur; K Krishnamoorthy, commissioner-Avadi, and Palaniswamy, executive engineer, Public Works Department, Tiruvallur also took part in the event along with college and school students of Avadi.