A pond in Samuel Nagar in Manali is getting a facelift thanks to the efforts of the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), backed by Greater Chennai Corporation and L&T.
The water body, located at Vadaperumbakkam on the Kosathalaiyar Basin, was in an utter state of neglect. Overgrown weeds and deposition of silt had shrunk the size of the pond, which is around 0.65 acres.
Some weeks ago, the rejuvenating efforts started with clean-ups, including removal of invasive plants, followed by dredging, and deepening and strengthening of the bunds. The inlet and outlet channels were regulated and a percolation trench was created in the pond to store rainwater. Now, the pond is ready to hold water, said EFI volunteers.
The restoration works was funded by Larsen and Toubro.
More beautification work will be undertaken once the summer is over.
Volunteers will plant native species on the lake bunds. Arun Krishnamurthy, founder of EFI, said, “The restoration efforts are aimed at reviving the habitats and maintaining them as a biodiversity spot This will also help improve groundwater penetration, and prevent flooding in the event of heavy rains.”
The city had many small ponds, which once were water recharge structures. Many are used as a dumping ground. “This leads to depletion of ground water sources,” said Krishnamurthy.
EFI volunteers will also conduct public awareness campaigns to sensitise the locals and increase public participation to safeguard the pond.