The unprecedented water crisis in the city has prompted residents to take note of water resources, both small and big, in their neighbourhood and make fervent pleas to protect them. The residents on Tambaram-Velachery Main Road in Pallikaranai are calling upon the authorities to clean and deepen a pond in the locality.
Surrounded by houses, the roadside pond, locally known as Pillaiyar Koil Kulam, is almost dry and overrun with ‘erukku’ plants. Concrete pipelines have been left abandoned along the road near its bund.
Ruban Pon Samuel, a resident of Appaswamy Mapleton Apartments remembers the time when the pond was brimming with water. “This small pond always had water until this summer dried it all up. I have been residing in Chennai for the last 15 years and in this neighbourhood since 2015 and we have never seen a drought like this year. Groundwater is our only source of water supply as we do not have Metrowater connections in this area, which is why protecting this pond is important,” he says.
For about a week, Ruban has been sending petitions to various government departments, including the Kancheepuram district Collector, Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust, State government’s petition processing portal and the block development office at St. Thomas Mount and Thiruporur, in an effort to draw the attention of the authorities.
“This is a small pond and probably measures less than 100 m. However, if cleaned and deepened, it will augment the groundwater table in the area during the next monsoon. The pond is by far clean but neglecting its maintenance might soon turn it into a dumping point,” he adds.
The pond comes under the maintenance of the Greater Chennai Corporation. An official belonging to Zone 14 says that the pond is being used as a ‘disposal point’ by the State Highways to drain rainwater. The official, however, promised to inspect the pond and take steps to clean and deepen it.
