Resident moves Madras HC seeking desilting of Madambakkam lake

The division bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad, before whom the plea came up on Thursday, ordered notice and posted the plea to September 17 for further hearing.

The petitioner, M Mohan of Nutancheri in Madambakkam, and member of Green Trust, had submitted that the 250-acre lake was one of the main drinking water source for Madambakkam residents and facilitates agriculture. But failure to desilt it for the past 32 years has depleted the storage level. Thus, during summer, the lake becomes dry, with the groundwater level sinking to a depth of 200 to 400 feet.

He submitted that the lake was fast becoming a spot to dump garbage and plastic, even as encroachments around it has shrunk its size.

While no efforts have been taken to rejuvenate the lake, the State has proposed a Rs 3 crore scheme to dig big wells in the lake and draw 18 lakh litres of water daily, which would be transported to Chitlapakkam through pipeline, the petitioner’s counsel, S Padma, told the bench.

Instead of maintaining the three lakes –Selaiyur, Sembakkam, Rajakilpakkam – in and around Chitlapakkam, the government was merely looking to exploit Madambakkam lake, she added.

Noting that if implemented the scheme would further deplete the groundwater level at Madambakkam, which in turn would have a serious impact on the residents, the counsel sought for a direction to the State to undertake desilting work on war footing to enable harvesting the ensuing monsoon rains.