DHARMAPURI: The invasive shrub Prosopis juliflora has spread on the dried-up Annasagaram Lake in Dharmapuri. The water body is dying a slow death with lack of water, pollution and overgrowth of the shrub, locally known as seemai karuvelam. Local residents have now urged the PWD-Water Resources Department (WRD) to take steps to clear the overgrowth of prosopis juliflora in summer itself.
“Clearing the overgrowth would improve the lake’s storage. Works could be undertaken easily as the lake is dry over the summer,” the public said.
Annasagaram is one of the largest lakes in Dharmapuri district encompassing an area of over 384 acres.
The water from the lake used to be one of the key fresh water sources in the district and was used to irrigate over 500 acres of cultivable area. However, over the past three years, the lake had remained dry due to low rainfall within the parched Dharmapuri block. This has led to the spread of seemai karuvelam trees.
Speaking to TNIE, A Prabhakaran, a resident said, “It has been three years since Annasagaram Lake held water. Usually the rains fill up the lake and the stored water is primarily used for agricultural purposes. While it is a fresh water source, it is not used for drinking purposes because of pollution in the lake. The lake bed is littered with plastic waste and the dirt is only masked by the dense overgrowth. The stored water will be polluted in monsoon. So it is necessary to clean up the lake first.”
Another resident R Rajamurugan said, “Annasagaram Lake has lost its former glory ever since the Sanathkumar River dried up. It lost its water source and is now only reliant on rain. Rains have been poor for the last three years. Now the lake is only filled with karuvelam trees. Unless a clean-up is done, the overgrowths would prevent any water storage. So we urge the administration to undertake a clean-up,” he said.