Puduthangal lake near Tambaram gets a new lease of life

Rotary Club of Madras restores waterbody as part of initiative

CHENNAI, 26/03/2019: A view of Puduthangal lake. Residents of West Tambaram want the water body to be de-silted and deepened, in Chennai on March 26, 2019. Photo: B. Velankanni Raj / THE HINDU

After remaining neglected for years, the Puduthangal lake near Tambaram has got a new lease of life.

The waterbody, spread across 50 acres, was rejuvenated, thanks to the joint efforts of the Rotary Club of Madras, the Sun Foundation and the Care Earth Trust. Like several other waterbodies in the southern fringes of the city, the Puduthangal lake was contaminated by the release of sewage and the dumping of trash.

The completion of restoration was marked by a function held on Friday in Tambaram. P.N. Mohan, the club’s chairman, Lake Restoration Committee, said the lake was taken up for rejuvenation after a detailed survey by Care Earth Trust. The lake bund was improved for a length of 1,386 m.

Besides deweeding, efforts were taken to desilt the lake. Nearly 25,000 cubic meters of silt was removed from it. The waterbody is the main source for groundwater recharge in the neighbourhood, he said.

The club expects about 50,000 people to benefit from the project, as the water table is likely to improve in the coming months. Residents largely depend on groundwater for their needs. The water-holding capacity of the lake has been improved from 2.83 million cubic ft to 3.83 mcft.

The project was started to conserve waterbodies that were fast vanishing from the city. It may be recalled that the Rotary Club of Madras had earlier restored the Puducheri Keni lake near Sholinganallur. There are plans to take up rejuvenation of the Madambakkam lake.