Over the last three months, Karuppan Kulam at Ambattur was going through an intensive
restoration project by Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), one that was characterised by cleaning, bund-strengthening and deepening through heavy mechanical intervention.
The most significant aspect of the exercise was the introduction of a new technique centred around the concept of Central Circular Recharge Pit (CCRP), which, according to EFI founder Arun Krishnamurthy, was adopted to circumvent certain topographical challenges found in the waterbody as well as to maximise groundwater recharge. Triangular recharge shafts were created at the corners of the waterbody, and “they were inclined to run towards a central circular recharge pit.”
Here is what Arun has to say about the CCRP design implemented at Karuppan Kulam.
“Karuppan Kulam is a compound wall-bound waterbody, which gives it a definite boundary. However, the walls and the corners pose a challenge: The piling and the base for them restrict any free flow of water from the neighbourhood. Besides, as the neighbourhood has many independent homes, many borewells are located in the vicinity of the lake. This increases the pressure on groundwater reserves.
To address the issue of inflow block and the constant withdrawal, we had to come up with a customised solution: A dedicated recharge facility within the pond that becomes the first reserve to receive the inflowing rainwater and the last to drain out.
Based on the current boundary limitations, the corners of the periphery were cut into triangular recharge shafts that are inclined to run towards the central circular recharge pit. By providing this tapering the pond’s recharge efficiency is expected to improve; and it is not just a broad deepened water pit, but a dedicated, pressure balancing recharge pond,” says Arun.
Arun points out that construction debris and trash at Karuppan Kulam was removed and safely disposed of with the support of Greater Chennai Corporation.
Ayyan Kulam is among the other waterbodies in the region that EFI is engaging with as part of a restoration exercise.
According to an EFI press release, here is a list of volunteer activities planned by EFI at these lakes.
1. Wall Painting efforts from June 1st weekend
2. Plantation and maintenance efforts from mid June
3. Cyclakes : A cycle tour of 8 ponds in the Ambattur region every Saturday beginning June 1st.
