The Times of India 14.12.2010
Renovated water bodies bring cheer to residents in Pammal
CHENNAI: Each night, a team of 10 residents in Eswaran Nagar of Pammal municipality, 20km south of Chennai, would keep a watch over the Tirupananthal lake between 11 pm and 5 am to prevent tanker lorries from dumping untreated sewage water into it. The residents would take turns every night and armed with lathis and torchlights, would guard this lake -- one of the biggest in the suburbs -- and also other water bodies in the neighbourhood against further contamination.
Their committment has now paid off. On Sunday, state labour minister T M Anbarasan, who also represents Alandur-Pallavaram consitutuency in the state assembly, formally inaugurated the renovated lake along with the tank of an ancient Suriya Amman temple. The water bodies were thrown open to the public a few days ago.
"Sewage tankers had been causing havoc by letting out untreated and raw sewage, generated from houses and commercial establishments, into stormwater drains that were connected to the lake and other water bodies," said S Venketaraman, a resident of Pammal.
With funds from the under the Operation and Maintanence Gap Filling Fund scheme, the Pammal municipality renovated the lake at a cost of Rs 78 lakh while the renovation of the temple tank was jointly done by the local body and the tourism department at a cost of Rs 63 lakh under the Tourism Development Scheme 2009-10.
Stormwater channels were cleaned up and separate channels built for waste from houses and commercial establishments. "Walkers' paths and other amenities around these water bodies are going to attract more visitors. The foundation stone for a few other road works have also been inaugurated," Pammal municipality chairman V Karunanithi told The Times Of India.
Originally spread over 10 acres, the lake has shrunk to seven acres due to encroachments. As residents depend on this lake for recharging of groundwater, they submitted a proposal for renovation in 2002 to the Kancheepuram district administration which handed over the maintenance of the lake to the Federation of Welfare Associations of Pammal and Nagalkeni. Subsequently, the same year, residents mobilised Rs 1 lakh along with the agriculture engineering department and strengthened the five inlet points and the outlet. The inlets carry rainwater from various areas, especially from the catchment areas of Sengazhuneer hills. Of late, the inlets had become contaminated with sewage from residential areas, fish and poultry markets and also waste from a private hospital. Similar was the case with the ancient temple tank where untreated sewage and waste water was being drained into.
"People who live nearby are the real guardians of these water bodies," said Tambaram MLA S R Raja, who took part in the function. Following the renovation, both the water bodies now bear a new look with concrete pathways, landscaping, benches, and a compound wall around them. Since the locality has a number of senior citizens, a separate walkers' path has also been built to provide space for morning walkers. At the temple tank, which is around 20 ft deep and spread over six acres, a high mast lamp and 56 lights have been installed for better illumination. A common entrance has been provided to prevent anti-socials from misusing the area around these water bodies. Bushes around these water bodies have been cleared. Trees have been pruned and saplings planted to extend the green cover. Considered to be a dry area, these water bodies help in recharge of water table in Pammal, which has a population of around 1 lakh.
