Residents want Korattur lake to be cleaned of weeds

Members of KAPMI found small heaps of expired drugs dumped near the waterbody

A thick blanket of hyacinth has covered most of the Korattur lake, a major waterbody in the western part of the city. Residents and civic activists want the invasive species to be cleared.

Members of the Korattur Aeri Padukappu Makkal Iyakkam (KAPMI) also found small piles of expired drugs dumped near the lake bund and a lane off Water Canal Road. Some of them were half burnt.

KAPMI’s general secretary S. Sekaran said the lake was facing other kinds of pollution and recurring encroachments.

Stringent action must be initiated against such miscreants who had attempted to burn the expired drugs near the lake bund.

The guilty should be penalised to prevent dumping of such waste on a large scale in future. The Water Resources Department and the Greater Chennai Corporation must protect the lake from such abuse and clear water hyacinth regularly. KAPMI members said the portion of the lake near DTP Colony and Muthamizh Nagar was covered with layer of the invasive aquatic weeds that indicated sewage pollution. Untreated sewage continued to flow into the lake from the surrounding areas that were yet to be provided with a network of drains. Although short- term plans for lake restoration have been chalked out, the projects are yet to be implemented.

The department plans to implement short-term plans at a cost of ₹2.82 crore in a few days. Officials said work on three regulators proposed near DTP Colony, Ondiveeran Koil inlet and North Avenue would commence in a few days. A channel bringing floodwater to the lake would be widened.

Once the work is completed, it will prevent flooding of the neighbouring areas during monsoon.