The Hindu 03.02.2010
Quiet flows sewage, not water, in Puducherry pond
Rajesh B. Nair
| It was helpful in recharging groundwater |
Photo: T. Singaravelou 
Filthy metamorphosis: Life keeps oozing out of the Aayi pond in Puducherry. —
PUDUCHERRY: The historically significant Aayi pond, situated a few metres from the drinking water pumping station at Muthirapalayam, is in a state of neglect for the last few years.
The pond named after renowned courtesan Aayi, who claimed to have built the pond after demolishing her house, is slowly turning into a reservoir of sullage, residents of the area said. Though not a direct source of drinking water, the pond was of immense help in recharging groundwater in the area.
Residents complained that sullage channel passing through the area had breached at a point.
This led to discharge of sewage collected from houses and industries into the pond. K. Rammoorthy of Sembadugai Nanneeragam Environmental Organisation, which had been campaigning to protect the waterbody, said that the discharge of sullage had increased in the recent months.
Mr. Rammoorthy said that the ancient pond was a major source of groundwater recharge in the entire area.
There were more than 10 borewells in the area to drain groundwater into the pumping station, he said, adding that the discharge of sullage had become a cause of concern.
“We have been forced to live with the foul smell emanating from the pond. This has also led to accumulation of silt. We have been appealing to the government to de-silt the pond,” he said.
The accumulation of silt has reduced storage level in the pond. “Earlier, it could store rainwater during a few days of rain. Now, even two days of heavy downpour is enough to fill the pond, leading to spill over of stormwater to the roads,” he said.
Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, S. Manohar, said that if there is breach in the sullage channel, he would immediately instruct officers to rectify it. However, he ruled out any contamination of water as the borewells were deep. The water was being well treated at the pumping station, he added.
On the demand made by residents to de-silt the pond, he said funds constraint had come in the way of cleaning up major ponds and lakes.
