The Hindu 31.07.2009

Drive soon to remove encroachments from lakes

K. Lakshmi

— Photo: S. R. Raghunathan

SHRINKING SPACE: Unauthorised structures on several waterbodies in and around Chennai will shortly be removed by the WRD. Picture shows a part of the Velachery Lake.

CHENNAI: The Water Resources Department (WRD), a wing of the Public Works Department, proposes to launch a drive by August-end to remove encroachments from eight lakes around the city.

Officials of the WRD said that two years ago, a drive was launched to rejuvenate 19 major waterbodies in Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts under the Tank Protection and Encroachment Removal Act, 2007.

As part of the proposed initiative, enumeration of encroachments in the waterbodies was under way in association with the Revenue Department officials. Identification of lands to provide alternative sites to those evicted during the drive was also in progress.

Once these works were completed, the drive to clear encroachments would commence by next month-end or early September. The waterbodies to be restored include those in Kadaperi, Kolathur, Nemilichery, Velachery and Thiruninravur, an official said.

“We plan to complete as much work as possible before the onset of the monsoon to prevent flooding in the areas around the lakes,” the official added.

So far, encroachments have been cleared from nearly 10 waterbodies, including Ambattur, Korattur, Arapatheri, Kovilambakkam, Tambaram Puduthangal and Pallikaranai. Nearly 3,300 people in Tiruvallur district and 700 in Kancheepuram district, who were evicted from areas along the lakes, have been rehabilitated in various localities such as Morai, Perungulathur, Semmencheri and Sholinganallur, with the help of the Revenue Department, the official said.

On the delay in executing the work, the officials said it had to be suspended in many areas owing to residents’ protests and court proceedings.

Demarcation of the boundary of the waterbodies is being carried out now. The lakes are also being monitored to prevent new encroachments. Estimate has been sent to the State government to fence the vulnerable points in the foreshore area of the waterbodies.

There is also a proposal to plant palm trees along the boundary of the lakes as part of the beautification drive, the officials added.

The Hindu 24.07.2009

Corporation roadside parks in dire need of rejuvenation

Deepa H Ramakrishnan

— Photo: K.V.Srinivasan

left high and dry: A roadside park near the Madras High Court campus is one of those that need better care.

CHENNAI: Devoid of full greenery and littered with rubbish, several roadside parks in the city are in a bad shape. They are either encroached upon by the homeless or used by petty shops, or serve as storage space for locals.

Nearly 400 such facilities, most of which were developed in the last two years, are being maintained by the Chennai Corporation.

Parks on Thyagappa Street in Kilpauk, Frazer Bridge Road, near Madras High Court campus, Broadway, G.M. Petta Road in Royapuram, West Kalmandapam and Grace Garden 5th Lane are an eye-sore. Some of them are used to dry clothes. In several places, portions of the retaining walls have been damaged and tiles and iron grills missing.

S. Meena, councillor of ward 16, said that the facilities were in a pitiable condition as there was no separate maintenance wing team for the roadside parks.

“The maintenance responsibility is with the respective zones and as they have other pressing work to do, these are neglected,” she said.

A senior official of the Chennai Corporation said that these facilities were initially created to protect small pieces of property belonging to the civic body. They serve as lung space in localities where there are not many trees.

“The maintenance is with the respective zonal office. As the summer has been rather harsh this year, many plants have withered. We are now waiting for the rain so that fresh saplings can be planted. The rain will make the soil easier to dig and also cool it down,” he said.

Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said, “With the demand for footpaths increasing, several organisations that are concerned about pedestrian space have expressed dissatisfaction over such parks. In places where the facilities are obstructing free movement of pedestrians, we will be converting the parks into footpaths. Saplings are not being planted in many of those parks.”