Sithalapakkam lake, brimming with water, remains an eyesore. The waterbody, located along the Medavakkam-Mambakkam Main Road, has over the years has fallen victim to encroachments and also suffers from poor maintenance. Spread over 160 acres, it now serves as a dumping ground for garbage. Wastewater is also let into it by sewage tankers.
G. Sathyanarayanan, a resident of Sithalapakkam, rued that the panchayat, rather than protect the lake, was using a portion of for dumping waste generated in the locality. He also complained about water being illegally drawn from the lake for commercial use.
Environment activists in the locality want the newly formed Chengalpattu district administration to take steps to construct a compound wall around Sithalapakkam lake, similar to the one built around Vengaivasal lake. They also want the authorities to clear encroachments from the lake.
Eco-restoration plan
The Water Resources Department (WRD), which manages both the Vengaivasal and Sithalapakkam lakes, has plans to remove the ‘makeshift’ dump site and rejuvenate the waterbody.
A WRD official said, “We have approached the local body and block development officer several times in the past, requesting them to stop dumping garbage along the lake. Waste gets dumped again and again even after being clearing.”
The department plans to take up eco-restoration of the lake. In fact, there are plans to rejuvenate it on the lines of Paruthipattu lake.
Besides desilting and strengthening of the bund, the project would include creating facilities such as fencing and a walkway. The rejuvenation project, estimated to cost of ₹4-5 crore, would be taken up shortly. The work is expected to be executed as part of the ₹3,000-crore comprehensive flood mitigation project.
(With inputs from K. Lakshmi)