The Federation of Civic Welfare Associations of Pallavaram held a meeting with the Pallavaram MLA P. Dhansingh and Pallavapuram municipality chairman K.M.R. Nissar Ahmed on March 21.
The members raised several issues at an interactive session and submitted a petition pertaining to the civic amenities in Pallavaram and Chromepet to the MLA and other officials concerned. The issues include the drinking water crisis, the new water scheme (Chembarambakkam Lake), construction of stormwater drains, Venkatamangalam compost yard, Open Space Reservation (OSR) lands, laying of link road connecting Subham Nagar and Krishna Nagar and the protection and rejuvenation of waterbodies.
The Federation urged the Pallavapuram municipality commissioner S. Shiva Subramaniam and Ahmed to submit acknowledgements of the petition received and the action letters to the petitioners, detailing the efforts taken by the municipality, within a month.
“There is a severe water crisis in the areas coming under the jurisdiction of the municipality. The residents are considerably affected by the depletion of groundwater. The municipality is sinking 32 borewells in the town and giant borewells in Thirumudivakkam and Sembakkam lakes. Further, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board has made an assurance that it would look into the matter and at the possibility of extracting water from the Veeranam Lake and Nemmeli desalination plant to tide over the drinking water crisis.”
“Plans are in the pipeline to restore Keezhkattalai Lake and Pallavaram Periya Eri at a cost of Rs.22 crore,” Dhansingh said. “Stormwater drains will be constructed in 42 wards across the municipality at a cost of Rs. 202 crore. The collected rainwater will be drained to the waterbodies, which will help recharge groundwater tables,” he added. “The Venkatamangalam solid waste management compost yard was nearing completion. The yard project work would be completed by June this year. Once the project is complete, the municipality will be generating 5MW electricity from the yard, which will be used for lighting street lamps. Plans are on to construct a children’s park and playgrounds on OSR lands. Regarding the link road connecting Subham Nagar and Krishna Nagar, the Public Works Department has denied permission as the space earmarked for laying the road is Moovarasampet Lake Bund,” he pointed out. He said the Chembarambakkam Water Project would be completed in 2016.
