Once a source of fresh water for irrigation, Kadaperi lake is now rapidly degrading
Due to unchecked pollution, abetted by government agencies, a sprawling water body in Tambaram is under siege.
The Kadaperi Lake in West Tambaram, has fallen a victim to pollution caused by unchecked discharge of grey water and sullage from homes and commercial establishments, as well as effluents from the Tambaram Depot of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation.
Shrunken expanse
Kadaperi Lake's original expanse was nearly 65 acres, but it has now shrunk to less than 50 acres due to urbanisation and encroachments.
Several thousand homes in as many as six wards of Tambaram Municipality have come up around the lake, according to officials of the Public Works Department, who say that the lake is a perfect example of a fresh water source that is now being degraded.
According to officials, discharge of grey water from homes and commercial establishments, especially restaurants, dumping of solid waste within the water-spread area and draining of effluents directly from the MTC depot, were the most important causes for the present condition of the water body.
Long-time residents of West Tambaram recalled that strengthening of the lake bund and improvement work was carried out as early as in 1914.
Until about three decades ago, water from Kadaperi Lake served as a source for irrigation in farmlands in Kadaperi, Pulikkuradu and Tiruneermalai.
Decay accelerated
With the increase in construction activity, especially at the Madras Export Processing Zone – Special Economic Zone in Tambaram Sanatorium and the MTC Depot, the water body's decay began to accelerate, according to residents, who say that the lake is now only a cesspool.
The situation has now become so bad that the water in wells in homes around the lake has become completely unfit for consumption, residents of Ranganathapuram, who live very close to the lake, said.
No treatment plant
In the absence of an effluent treatment plant or even a sedimentation pit inside the MTC Depot, lubricants and other effluents are directly drained into the lake, residents said.
MTC officials however, refuted that effluents from the depot found their way into the lake.
Only the water used in washing buses went outside to the lake through the drain, they said. Engine oil removed from vehicles was collected and taken in huge barrels and re-sold outside.
Residents have been urging government agencies to drain the lake completely so that desilting and deepening could be carried out.
Even during the monsoon, only surplus water drained out of the lake, while the contaminated water continued to remain in the water-spread area.
PWD officials admit that Kadaperi Lake is among the “most polluted of lakes” around Tambaram.
They said an adverse impact on the natural course of surplus water and discharge of effluents had caused severe damage to the once-vibrant water body.
There were proposals with the State government to carry out improvement work in lakes including Kadaperi, the department officials added.
Keywords: Public Works Department, pollution, water body, Kadaperi Lake
Government of Tamilnadu should control pollution of Ambattur Lake by letting of untreated sewage, Black, Gray water flowing through natural channels in to the lake surrounded by residential nagars, Ambattur lake measuring 250 acres comprised in survey no.582 of Ambattur village, survey no.866 of Thirumullaivoyal Village, Ambattur Taluk, Thiruvallur District, within limits of Corporation of Chennai, Avadi Municipality by deepening, dredging, removing slushes, by constructing water treatment plants, strengthening lake bund, laying connecting roads on lake bund in order to maintain Ambattur lake as fresh water lake. Government of Tamilnadu should also consider to restore back Ambattur Lake bed ( Eri Ulvoi ) to its original shape, size, capacity, Ambattur lake bed – Eri Ulvoi measuring 19 acres comprised in survey number 645/5 of Thirumulaivoyal village, Ambattur Taluk, Thiruvallur District, within limits of Avadi Municipality, near to Annanur Railway Station which is a main feeder channel carries, channelize rain, flood water to Ambattur Lake.
Government agencies will not start to clean up this lake or the
environment in general. The people have to organize and start a project
to clean the lake first and then maybe the government will follow. The
state is corrupt and inefficient. Hopefully the people are better.
Sad reading. Is there any hope for our country?? Drowning in its own excrement.
Everyone is in la la land expecting the local citizens and civic bodies to clean up their act.
Cleanliness is totally absent amongst Indians and it is worse within India. A stage will come
when nature would have had enough of the crap that is being heaped on it and will
retaliate in the form of strange viruses and diseases that would wipe out large sections of
the population. Perhaps it would then be too late to stem the tide.
Thanks to The Hindu for bringing out environmental issues on a daily basis. Protecting the water bodies is absolutely essential for the environment as the benefits are huge (maintains water table, provides greenery around the lake, and provides succour for the poor animals and birds). There will always be people who are not educated and will do anything for money, and the people who dump don't think even for a moment the amount of damage they are doing for the environment.
I really really hope the government officials will give their due importance to your reports and take the necessary action in a timely manner, before things get worse.
Thanks to Hindu for this article. It helps bring much needed awareness on state of affairs in and around Tambaram area. Whether its the lake or parks in Tambaram they are being neglected for decades together.
Its high time such articles are published that brings to focus on how even Govt bodies like MTC Depot is violating environmental laws/rules while discharging effluents into lakes..
MEPZ too would be violating rules while dumping into the lake.
Hopefully the current Govt would do some sincere rejuvenation of lake and most importantly make sure no one pollutes/dumps into the lake.
It is hurting very deeply to see such things happening around us.Our country is gifted with lakes and ponds at numeral places and was well maintained by the earlier generations/kings/british.If we do not realise these gifts by the nature/God, may be - we have to loose them in future.
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