CHENNAI: Political rivalry between AIADMK and DMK worked in favour of residents of Puzhuthivakkam who have been struggling to get Chitteri lake cleaned.
After DMK issued a statement that they would clean the lake at 11am on Thursday the corporation and the ruling party sprang into action and clean the water body on Thursday.
DMK members who reached the spot with boats, returned after getting an assurance from corporation officials that work would continue till the entire lake was cleaned. This created some flutter in the area as there was a near-standoff between members of the two parties. Police deployed a force there.
DMK leader and former Mayor Ma Subramaniam said, "The water level has increased but people dump plastic waste into the lake. It's full of weed. There is a pathway around the lake but it is poorly lit. People sit and drink on the pathway and throw bottles into the water. This was posing a problem for a long time. So we decided to do the cleaning."
He said, "We brought around 500 volunteers and two big boats. But then, we found that the corporation staff and others were already cleaning up the water. Since the corporation promised to do the work we just went around the 4km walkway and returned."
J K Manikandan, former councillor of AIADMK said, "We have started the work last Friday itself. But we could not complete it. So, today we brought boats and people from Korukkupet. More than 80 people workedt."