SC-ST panel inspects lake near Katpadi over discharge of sullage

Tamil Nadu officials inspect Vandranthangal lake for sullage contamination, residents demand rejuvenation to prevent health risks.

A high-level panel of Tamil Nadu State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes inspected the existing tank in Vandranthangal village near Katpadi in Vellore on Wednesday to assess the extent of damage caused to the waterbody due to discharge of sullage by surrounding villages.

Along with Collector V.R.Subbulaxmi and Vellore Corporation Commissioner, P. Janaki Raveendran, S. Tamilvanan, Chairperson, Tamil Nadu State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, made a field visit to the lake.

The visit comes after social activist and longtime resident, Professor I. Elagovan, made representations to the Commission on the issue earlier. “Discharge of sullage into the lake has contaminated groundwater in its vicinity as water in bore wells and farm wells have become murky. The district administration should rejuvenate the lake,” said Mr. Elagovan, who spearheaded the campaign to save the waterbody. 

Residents said that around 500 families, who belong to the Adi Dravidar community, were residing in a separate colony near the lake for many years. Discharge of sullage, mostly household wastewater, have become regularised in recent years by constructing separate drains to discharge the contaminated water into the lake. Areas like Mettukulam, Kalpudur, Rajiv Nagar, Rajendra Nagar and adjoining areas discharge wastewater into the waterbody.

After the 2021 floods, residents said that groundwater in the area around the lake has increased. Water level in the lake also went up. As a result, discharge of sullage into the lake is overflowing into residential areas, posing health risk. Encroachments, mostly asbestos roofed houses, on the dry portion of the lake also block free flow of excess rainwater during monsoon.

Officials of DRDA said that the tank covers around 32 acres in Vandranthangal village that comes under Katpadi panchayat union. Around 60 per cent of total lake area comes under Kalpudur (Ward No: 1) of Vellore Corporation limits. Remaining portion of the lake belongs to DRDA. The maintenance of the lake has been jointly done.

DRDA officials said that earlier, borewells had been laid by at least six village panchayats around the lake to draw water for domestic consumption. Due to high contamination, water in the lake has not been used for consumption. A proposal to build a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to recycle wastewater from houses was dropped by DRDA due to huge costs. “The lake is a key water source to recharge groundwater in a radius of around two km. Alternative ways to handle sullage should be in place to prevent contamination of the lake,” said S. Nandakumar, BDO (Katpadi).