Desilting of 10 lakes to begin soon: Mayor

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, AUG. 29. Cleaning and desilting of 10 lakes in the city would be taken up soon to augment water resources in view of the water scarcity, the Mayor, Mr. M.K. Stalin, said here recently.

The Public Works Department has announced that the 10 lakes, with top priority to the Velachery lake, would be cleaned and desilted so that drinking water could be sourced from them in drought situation.

Inaugurating the Exnora Innovators' Club Velachery, Mr. Stalin said two more flyovers would be inaugurated in September and the final one, next year. The formation of joint committees, comprising various departments and service agencies, which reviewed the progress of work every week, helped in early completion of the works.

He called for public cooperation to make the private venture in conservancy operation a success. Already results were apparent with 3,100 tonnes of garbage being removed a day. As part of greening operations, about 70,000 saplings had been planted in the city in four years. He appreciated Exnora units of Velachery that have resolved to plant and protect 2,000 saplings in the area.

Listing out the various projects in Division 153, Mr. Stalin said work wars in progress on 35 km of interior roads at a total cost of Rs. 3.28 crores.

The Commissioner, Chennai Corporation, Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, said the concept of NGO involvement, introduced in the early 90s, had brought about a welcome change as need-based solutions to problems could be provided. The Exnora International along with the city Corporation was a forerunner in various technological innovations in conservancy operation. The two agencies should work together to introduce the concept of source segregation of garbage, he added.

The founder-chairman, Exnora International, Mr. M.B. Nirmal, said the Club would pursue the objectives of litter-free streets, zero-waste management, pollution prevention, tree planting, rain water harvesting and `vigilant eye'.

The ward Councillor, Mr. P. Dhanasekaran, said the practice of discharging sewer into the Velachery lake from Adambakkam side would stop once the underground drainage network was commissioned at Alandur. The MLA, Mr. M.A. Vaidyalingam, said docks had been cleared for the construction of a stormwater drain along the Velachery Bypass Road, which was caught up in litigation and work would recommence soon.

The president, Exnora Innovators' Club of Velachery, Ms. M.A. Malathy, and senior vice-president, Exnora, Ms. Sulochana Ramaseshan, spoke.

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