Chitlapakkam Rising, a voluntary organisation working towards restoration of waterbodies, has submitted a petition to the Water Resources Department to desilt a rainwater canal on Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road.
V. Udaya Kumar, one of its founders, said, “The canal on GST Road, near Tambaram Sanatorium, should drain rainwater from Pachai Malai to Chitlapakkam lake. But, the canal is unable to carry rainwater due to silt formation and dumping of garbage and construction debris.
“If steps are taken to desilt the canal, rainwater will flow into the lake through the canal, thereby recharging the groundwater table in neighbouring areas. If not, rainwater and sewage will overflow from the clogged canal, flooding GST Road.”
Well in derelict state
Members also requested the Chitlapakkam Selection Grade Town Panchayat to remove garbage from Chitlapakkam lake and desilt a public well located at Muthulakshmi Nagar, Chitlapakkam.
R. Balachander said, “The garbage as well as the sewage let into the lake have contaminated the lake. If garbage is segregated, biodegradable waste can be converted into organic manure and sold at reasonable prices.
Also, revenue can be generated through the disposal of non-biodegradable waste to scrap dealers.”
With regard to the public well, Balachander said, “The well can hold water up to a depth of 40 feet. In 1990s, water in the borewells would be available at a depth of four feet; today it has gone down to 300ft. If the well is desilted and deepened, it would recharge the groundwater in the neighbourhood,” Balachander added.
