The Hindu 03.10.2013
Soon, Porur lake to be cleared of encroachments
The Water Resources Department (WRD) is planning to remove encroachments that have come up on Porur lake. The work will begin in a few days.
The department is in the process of issuing notices to the 20 structures that have recently encroached upon the lake near Koluthuvancheri and Thelliagaram in Iyyapanthangal. It will seek the support of the revenue department to remove these huts, officials said.
Residents of Porur alleged that the encroachments have returned as there was a delay in allotting alternative housing to residents who were evicted from the same site a few years ago.
WRD officials said the eviction drive had not begun yet due to a pending court case. Once the eviction is completed, the lake area will be secured to prevent further encroachments upon the water body.
Meanwhile, about 70 per cent of the project to rejuvenate the lake, spread over 250 acres, has been completed so far. Officials of the department said that a bund is being formed spanning a distance of nearly 2.5 km.
Work to strengthen the existing bund for a distance of about 3 km is also progressing well.
“We are also fencing in a portion of the main bund along Mount Poonamallee High Road,” said an official.
However, work to desilt the water body and deepen it by two metres to increase its capacity is progressing slowly due to the intermittent showers.
About 100-150 loads of silt are being removed from the lake daily.
“We will be able to complete the project in time by July next year. The lake will then be able to hold 70 million cubic feet of water, and this can be used to augment water supply to Chennai,” an official said.
The water resources department is issuing notices to 20 huts that have come up on the water body.
