Months-old garbage still floating in Putheri Lake

CHENNAI: Months after miscreants dumped garbage into Putheri lake at Pallavaram, the municipality staff have not yet removed the wastes, say residents. “Back then, when this issue gained media attention, the municipality sent some persons to clear garbage off the lake surface. They never cleared the remaining wastes,” they added. 

Octogenarian activist V Santhanam, who is also a local resident, said that huge amount of garbage was deposited at the lake bottom. “Some wastes crop up to the surface occasionally. The colour of the lake has also changed,” he rued. Visuals shared by residents to Express reveal the presence of huge amounts of waste, including rubber and plastic materials, in the lake. 

David Manohar, an anti-Corruption NGO member, was one of the complainants in the issue. “The Pallavaram Municipality’s claim that there is no garbage in Putheri lake is a blatant lie. You can always see waste floating on the lake. Even sewage is being let into the waterbody from nearby drains and when I took videos and questioned this, the Municipality officials tried to assault me,” Manohar alleged.

Recently, the Municipality had informed the National Green Tribunal that no sewage was being let into the lake and it was free of garbage as well. But, a visit to the spot would prove the opposite. “As just residents here, we have done everything we could do.

Why are elected representatives not addressing this issue?” asked Santhanam. When contacted by Express, Municipality officials said that lake restoration work is underway and they would clear garbage from the lake soon.