Joining hands, residents welfare associations of Chitlapakkam and Sembakkam, under the auspices of Sabari Green Foundation, an NGO, began cleaning up Sembakkam lake on Sunday.
Inaugurating the campaign, Chitlapakkam Town Panchayat chairman R. Mohan assured the volunteers all help in carrying out their mission.
“This is only a beginning. We have started with clearing the bushes and trash from the banks of water bodies,” said V. Subramani, founder-secretary, Sabari Green Foundation.
“The foundation will also seek MLA and MP funds for strengthening the bunds at Keezhkattalai, Madipakkam and Sembakkam lakes,” V. Ramarao, director of the foundation, said.
About a hundred environmental activists are supporting the resident associations, A. Shanmugam, one of the coordinators said. “It is now the turn of the government agencies to restore water channels leading to and branching out of the water bodies in Kancheepuram district to avoid flooding like last December,” said social activist P. Viswanathan. Strengthening the bunds and restoration of sluices and culverts was key to store more rain water leading to ground water recharge in the suburbs, he pointed out.
The Sembakkam Lake Rejuvenation Committee was recently formed comprising members representing residents’ welfare associations of Chitlapakkam, Sembakkam and Pallavaram.
Apart from the volunteers of Chennai Trekking Club, volunteers of Chitlapakkam Rising and Chitlapakkam Ladies’ Club participated in the event for promoting water tourism at the lake. Welcoming the initiatives, residents said letting out sewage from three ends of the lake should be curtailed forthwith, to get clean water in the lake.
Tambaram MLA S.R. Raja and Sembakkam Municipality Chairman G.M. Santhakumar participated.