CS Muruganandam instructs to increase Velachery lake storage by 50 per cent

CHENNAI: In a bid to prevent flooding around Velachery, state chief secretary N Muruganandam directed the water resources department to explore the possibilities of increasing the capacity of Velachery lake by 50 per cent of its present capacity.

Based on an instruction from the southern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), the chief secretary convened a meeting with the secretaries of departments including water resources department, environment, climate change and forest department, revenue and disaster management department, housing and urban development department and others.

During the meeting, the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metrowater) informed that four sewage inlet points have been plugged.

Meanwhile, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) proposed a project 'renovation of Velachery Lake' by deepening the lake at a cost of Rs. 23.50 Crore under Lake Front Development Scheme.

The planning authority explained that the capacity of the lake will increase by 22 per cent after the works. However, the chief secretary directed the water resources department and CMDA to take steps to increase storage by 50 per cent. Presently, the lake has a capacity of 4.35 mcft.

Instructions were given to the departments to identify vacant land around Velachery to provide housing to 955 families residing near the lake or offer tenements in Perumbakkam if nearby land is not available.

Meanwhile, the southern bench of NGT instructed the government to deepen other lakes - Adambakkam Tank, Madipakkam Tank, Keelkattalai Tank, Narayanapuram Tank and Pallikaranai Tank - that are located downstream to avoid flooding during the monsoon.

"It is also clarified that our earlier order directed the Forest Department and the Water Resources Department to identify any water body within the Guindy National Park and if available, that can also be made use of by deepening the same. In this regard, let the Water Resources Department and the Forest Department inspect and report to us on the next date of hearing, " NGT judicial member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati said in their order.