The Hindu : Wildlife authorities take up desilting of tanks in Guindy Park

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 08, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Wildlife authorities take up desilting of tanks in Guindy Park

By P. Oppili

CHENNAI JUNE 7. Wildlife authorities in the city have taken up deepening and desilting of three tanks inside the Guindy National Park (GNP) with financial assistance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Improving the water storage capacity in the tanks and increasing the level of the groundwater table, were the two main objectives with which the work was taken up this year, say the authorities.

During last October the work of cleaning the channels leading to the five ponds in the GNP was taken up, which resulted in the improved water storage at the ponds. Last year, the rainwater harvesting scheme implemented at the Park, enabled it to be self-sufficient as far as water supply was concerned. Before that, everyday the authorities purchased water from Metrowater. But, this year so far not a single lorry load was purchased, thanks to the water stored in the ponds, said Wildlife Warden, Chennai, K.S.S.V.P.Reddy.

This year, the authorities recently completed strengthening of bunds, which were created last year.

Apart from this, the work of plugging the breaches in the bunds was also completed, said Mr Reddy.

In some places, they also created new bunds, he said.

Chinna Appalangulam, Kathangollai and Duck Pond were the three ponds where the deepening and desilting work was taken up with the Central funds, said the Park Superintendent and the Range Officer, S.Ramadoss.

At the Chinna Appalangulam pond, new moats were created mainly to increase the water storage capacity of the tank and deepening work was also completed at a cost of Rs 2 lakhs. As far as Duck pond was concerned, the weir system was strengthened to avoid water draining into the other areas.

After last monsoon nearly 7,000 cubic feet of earth was removed and the same was used for strengthening the bunds, authorities said.

A sum of Rs. 5 lakhs have been spent this year alone on improving the storage facilities in the ponds, they added.

With the deepening and desilting the ponds, the water storage capacity of the ponds would be doubled.

The work of identifying leaks in the bunds and the channels has been completed.

With this, the authorities were hopeful that this year they would be able to save more water in the ponds. Similarly, more quantity of rainwater could be tapped, they added.

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