After quarries, Metro Water sets eyes on Nemam and Ayanambakkam lakes
Chennai Metro Water Board which has learnt a lesson this year in terms of supplying drinking water is mulling the option of drawing water from available water bodies in and around Chennai. So, the Public Works Department (WRD), after a long delay, is gearing up to undertake lake improvement works in Nemam and Ayanambakkam lakes.
By : migrator
Update: 2017-06-12 19:45 GMT
Chennai
According to PWD officials, though the works were sanctioned two years ago, the officials could not take up the works, as there were a heavy rains followed by floods in December 2015.
Even after water receded, the officials did not take up the work. Further, as these lakes were located in the villages, people used them to dump garbage and illegal sand mining was rampant. Government departments failed to stop the illegal activities in the water bodies. “We earlier faced a fund crunch.
Now, there is a green light and we have received a communication from the government that funds will be allotted soon,” said a PWD official, and added that if metro water approached them to tap water from some water bodies, they would help them by desilting and deepening of them.
Meanwhile, metro water board officials for the first time are taking an initiative to revive water bodies.
“At present, we have four lakes from where water would be drawn. However, we are serious about thinking to find out more waterbodies,” said an official. The official also added that this year, they are ready to tap water from Porur lake.
“We will also explore the possibility about drawing water in Ayanambakkam and Nemam lakes from next year,” the official confirmed.
“During last year’s monsoon, around 250 tmc of water entered the sea and this should have been stored in the waterbodies, but the PWD officials failed to do so, as they had not taken up any precautionary measures,” said Janakarajan, a water expert. He demanded the PWD to carry out works soon.
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