Members of MES Road Ganapathypuram Welfare Association, East Tambaram, recently submitted a petition to the Tambaram tashildar, seeking effortsr to rid Nalla Eri of seemai karuvelam trees. In the petition, they said large numbers of these invasive species are found around the waterbody.
The sprawling lake, located off MES Road, helps recharge the groundwater table in Tambaram (East and West) and Irumbuliyur.
N. Ashok Kumar, advisor, MES Road Ganapathypuram Welfare Association, East Tambaram, said, “The Eri is the lifeline for the residents of East and West Tambaram and Irumbuliyur. Steps must be taken to de-silt and deepen it and remove encroachments in the lake area.” Though the water-holding area in the Eri has shrunk considerably, it still serves as a source for recharging the groundwater table in the neighbourhood. However, in the coming months, there is a possibility of the waterbody going completely dry. “Though we buy can water for drinking, we rely on groundwater for many domestic chores,” Arun Kumar Bhattacharjee, a resident of East Tambaram, said.
The water channels leading to the lake are dumped with garbage. Association members also requested the tashildar to take steps to de-silt and deepen Peerkankarnai lake.
The original expanse of the Peerkankaranai lake was over 50 acres, but today, it had reduced to around 10 acres. Garbage disposal and dense vegetation in the lake area have led to a reduction in the size of the waterbody. “If de-silted and deepened, the lake will be an additional watersource in the suburbs,” the members said. The tashildar promised to do the needful.
