G. Prakash, Commissioner for Municipal Adminstration, inspected the sprawling Panamarthupatti lake maintained by the Salem Corporation on Saturday and discussed steps for improving the condition of inflow channels and development of the lake.
This century-old lake has an area of 2,137.92 acres, with water on 834.5 acres.
Panamarthupatti lake gets water through Rivers Varattar and Kattar and also from the Jarugumalai reserve forests. This water body proved the main source for the supply of drinking water to Salem city through giant pipes. The inflow of water into the lake got reduced to a big extent due to the construction of check dams in the supply channels by the government departments.
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The corporation has already taken steps for integrating the various government departments and ensure adequate flow of water into the lake.
R. Sadheesh, Corporation Commissioner, told Mr. Prakash that the Corporation has already taken initiative for protecting the lake and develop it into a major tourist spot. Preliminary works on this project have already commenced.
The corporation has also proposed to increase the inflow of water into the lake by renovating the supply channels, to meet the future drinking water needs.
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A. Asokan, R. Ravi, and G. Kamaraj, Executive Engineers of the corporation, were present on the occasion.