The Thiruneermalai lake, once a lifeline to the farming community in the region, is dying a slow death due to indiscriminate dumping of sewage and official neglect, and this sad state of affairs has prompted a motley group of youngsters from the neighbourhood to step in and save the waterbody.
A group of 12 young men launched a clean-up drive last week to free the lake bed of plastic and other non-biodegradable waste. “The lake is being polluted with sewage from industries and tanneries, government hospitals and households from neighbourhoods such as Nagalkeni, Lakshmipuram, Pachaimalai, Kadapperi and other areas. We have sent countless petitions to various agencies over the years, with pictures and video proof of tankers releasing untreated sewage into the farmlands in Thiruneermalai but none of them has led to any action,” says Pugalventhan V., a resident.
Residents’ worst fears came true when they recently read media reports about the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), after tests, stating that the water from the lake is unfit for consumption.
“The reports said that CMWSSB had tested water from 13 lakes that it identified as additional drinking water resources and it found three lakes, including Thiruneermalai lake, to be heavily polluted. Early last month, tonnes of fish were found dead as the lake started to dry up and pollutants were still being released. The dead fish were buried in a trench dug within the lake area after we complained of the stench,” he adds.
Alarmed by the latest report, the residents inspected the irrigation canals connecting the farmlands to the lake. They found tonnes of non-biodegradable waste dumped in the canals and the lake bed.
“As a first step, we will pick up the plastic and non-biodegradable waste from the lake bunds and send it to the local body which will properly dispose of it in a dump yard. Once the lake bed is free of trash, we will submit a petition to the Public Works Department to desilt the lake and also remove ‘seemai karuvelam’ trees. We will also undertake a larger campaign to stop discharge of untreated effluents into the farmlands and the lake,” says Pugalventhan.
The youngsters are also planning to conduct awareness drives in every street to prevent people from dumping garbage on the lake bed.
Want to volunteer?
The residents are looking for more volunteers to take part in the clean-up activity, which will take place every Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Volunteers are requested to bring safety equipment such as gloves and cleaning tools. The assembly point is Pillaiyar Temple near Apurva Bakery.
