Residents demand Akkarai Kulam to be replenished with fresh water

Residents of Nagapattinam Municipality have called upon the local authorities to drain the Akkarai Kulam, located in Ward No. 33, and replenish it with fresh water

Residents of Nagapattinam Municipality have called upon the local authorities to drain the Akkarai Kulam, located in Ward No. 33, and replenish it with fresh water.

The sprawling lake has been a source of groundwater in Nagapattinam. A path with handrails was paved around the pond seven years ago at a cost of ₹3 crore. Many of the town’s economically disadvantaged residents, who lack bathing facilities at home, depend on this pond for their daily needs.

“Last June, water was filled in Akkarai Kulam through irrigation channels from the Cauvery. Typically, water is drained from the pond before being replenished. However, the drainage channel has now become clogged, preventing the old water from being removed,” said a resident from Ward No. 33.

With the recent release of water in the Cauvery, residents believe that Akkarai Kulam can be drained by using motorised pumps. Fresh water from the river can then be stored in the pond within a few days.

“At present, Akkarai Kulam is polluted and has turned green, making it unsuitable for use. Therefore, the residents have called upon the municipal administration to drain the water and replenish it with fresh water,” said K. Venkatesan, Town Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Nagapattinam, who has submitted a petition to the municipality.

“Five years ago, the largest pond in Nagapattinam was desilted. Since then, there has been hardly any maintenance. At least 5,000 people use the pond daily to bathe or wash their clothes,” said Thanga Kathiravan, town secretary of the Nagapattinam unit of the AIADMK.

Official sources of the Nagapattinam municipality assured The Hindu that they would look into the issue.