Residents of Nookampalayam in Perumbakkam have appealed to the Kancheepuram district Collectorate and the Water Resources Department to take steps to desilt and deepen Perumbakkam Periya Eri and to remove encroachments. It is reported that many private tankers draw water from the Eri illegally, resulting in the depletion of groundwater.
Currently, residents receive drinking water twice a week, through pipes from the overhead tanks in Perumbakkam.
With summer at its peak, the quantity of water supplied is not enough and the water is not potable, forcing the residents to rely on can water. “If desilted and deepened, groundwater in Perumbakkam, Sholinganallur and Medavakkam will increase considerably. Steps must be taken to demarcate the boundaries of the Eri. Walkers’ path should be created, native saplings planted and palm seeds sowed along the bunds of the lake,” say residents.
