Due to poor monsoon last year, the Dhandeeswaram temple tank wore a parched look. Weeds and rushes started taking over the tank bed. Wild plants started invading the steps and some of them putting down strong roots and caused the steps to develop cracks. The space immediately outside the compound wall of the temple tank was getting sullied as passers-by were using it as a public convenience.
The temple tank was hitting a downward spiral and that is when residents and devotees launched efforts to rid it of the multiple scourges plaguing it. On August 19 this year, they undertook a renovation of the temple tank. As the earlier exercise to renovate the temple had taken place many years ago, this one proved quite laborious.
S. Kumararaja, member of the Uzgavara Pani team, says a large number of residents including devotees participated in the temple tank cleaning work on August 19. He says the tank now looks spic and span is ready to receive rains this year.
The residents of Velachery want the Greater Chennai Corporation to construct a stormwater drain network on the Velachery Main Road between Narasimhar temple and Dhandeeswaram temple and link the stormwater drain facility to the temple tank.
According to residents, if a stormwater-drain facility linking the streets surrounding the Dhandeeswaram temple is established, this temple tank will be filled with water round the year.
The devotees of Dhandeeswaram temple, which comes under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment department, want the temple authorities to take steps to prevent people from using the space outside the compound wall of the temple tank as a public convenience.
