Residents of Vanniya Nagar are rejoicing as their efforts to bring back to life a neglected lake have given result.
The Ismail Khan Lake near Alagapuram here was full of seemakaruvulam trees. Youth and villagers joined hands, pooled in some money and made efforts to clean the lake around three years ago.
During monsoons that year, rainwater started holding up in the water body and after desilting works were carried out in the lake and in its water channels, the lake has filled to the brim.
“When we desilted the lake for the first time three years ago, rainwater started holding up. But, there was not sufficient flow of water. We desilted the lake and also the water channels to the lake this year to ensure free flow of water.
Water channels from Nagaramalai and Perumal Malai are the main sources to the lake and in the recent rain, the lake filled to the brim,” said JVR Raja, one of the volunteers who worked in redevelopment of the lake.
Mr. Raja said, “the inflow to the over 20-acre lake is continuing and elderly persons in the village say that the stored water in the lake could go for seven to eight years.”
On Saturday, District Collector S.A.Raman, Corporation Commissioner R.Sadheesh and other senior officials inspected the lake and discussed measures to prevent water from breaking the bunds and inundating houses.
The lake is under the control of Water Resources Wing of the Public Works Department and Mr.Raman advised officials to take steps in this regard.
The Collector also honoured volunteers who desilted the lake.
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