The two-century-old tank at Kasi Viswanathar temple in Ayanavaram, which has for long been without water, is expected to witness remedial action.
The Serene Chennai, a city-based NGO, is preparing to initiate a clean-up exercise at the tank soon. Setting up a rainwater harvesting structure will be part of the initiative.
"When I first heard that the temple tank was not retaining water, it came as a surprise to me. I was living near the temple, but was not aware that its condition was so bad," he says. "After visiting the place, I realised that the space was actually well-maintained, except for a profusion of shrubs. So, we decided to spruce up the temple tank," he adds.
Besides cleaning the tank, the NGO also plans to put in place a better water harvesting system, for which they have sought the help of experts, says Shankar.
"We have sought the advice of some professors who are experts in the field. We also plan to approach the residents at apartment complexes and the houses nearby to see what can be done to prevent water from getting diverted from the tank," he says.
Currently, Shankar and his team of volunteers are looking for more people to join them. "When I first told people about this drive, many from my apartment association volunteered to help us; since most of them visit the Kasi Viswanathar temple regularly, they were happy about being able to do something for it. We are hoping that many other residents in the area will also join us so that the work gets done quickly and with more finesse," says Shankar.
The Serene Chennai was founded in 2010 with the aim of ensuring cleanliness and hygiene in government schools and colleges in the city. After carrying out successful drives in many educational institutions, the NGO joined with groups of its kind to take up cleaning work at Chennai's ponds and lakes.
