The course of the canal near the Mandaveli Railway Station and Kalvirayar Street in Mylapore sees maximum abuse — dumping of animal to medical wastes and garbage. These are also spots with illegal inlets that pollute them. We are working along with local government to create awareness. We wanted to sensitise the public in the local community to involve them in its conservation. Once they are initiated into it, they will take the lead with a sense of ownership.

 

On both days we wanted to involve a large part of the community into painting messages on the walls in the area with messages related to the waterbody, stressing on the importance of keeping it clean. One doesn’t have to be an artist. The sketch will be drawn by a professional artist and the volunteers and participants will only have to paint. The walk along the canal in these areas will give the participants, a large section of them youngsters and school students, a peek into the history and purpose of the canal. They might have zipped past it many times, but in the walk, they will get a closer look and understand how it is being polluted.

 

We plan to involve the whole community in the city in the future. The canal runs from North to South of the city and is through many parts. We are also planning to carry out a clean-up drive. We are seeking permission from authorities concerned.