Sprawling over 104 acres, the Sembakkam lake is huge. But it does not make a pretty sight. In the lake area are strewn all kinds of rubbish.
The border area of the lake, covering Hasthinapuram, has been encroached by houses. The Sembakkam municipality has constructed a facilitation centre for segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes. The lake comes under the supervision of the Public Works Department (PWD).
Residents want the water body to be de-silted and deepened. They have also demanded that the bund around the lake be strengthened. “The water body is shrinking in space due to encroachments. The quality of groundwater has been contaminated as sewage is being let into it,” residents said. The borders of the lake cover areas such as Sembakkam, Chitlapakkam and Hasthinapuram.
To put an end to this, several residents welfare associations took up the issue with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), New Delhi, requesting it to restrain the municipality from dumping garbage and also filed a case on March 24. The associations were Sembakkam Civic Welfare Association, Sarvamangala Nagar Residents Welfare Association, Venugopal Swamy Nagar Extension and Vigneshwara Avenue and Senthil Avenue Residents Association. The associations drew inspiration from S.P. Surendranath Karthik, Madipakkam, who took up the issue of ‘Periya Eri’ or ‘Pallavaram Lake’ (against the Pallavapuram municipality) with the NGT.
We have forwarded numerous petitions to the Sembakkam municipality, State Government and the Chief Minister’s cell to stop the dumping and burning of garbage.
In spite of all these representations, dumping/burning has not stopped, residents of Sembakkam point out.
Till now, three hearings have been held and the fourth will be held on August 27. After the case was filed with the NGT, an order, restraining the municipality from burning garbage, was passed. Regarding dumping of wastes, the Sembakkam municipality filed an affidavit stating that it would soon become a part of Vengadamangalam integrated waste yard project. In the third hearing, the municipality observed the status quo on the project. The Vengadamangalam project is a joint initiative of the three municipalities – Pallavaram, Tambara and Alandur (former).
The Associations have requested the government to expedite the Vengadamangalam project. Moreover, the residents have requested the authorities concerned to de-silt and deepen the lake. Every day, on an average, around 8-10 tonnes of garbage are dumped on the lake.
