Plastic waste washed into lakes raises eco concerns

CHENNAI: The metropolis may have waded through the first spell of monsoon with just bruises but has brought severe environmental degradation caused by humans to the fore. Garbage dumped near water channels and lakes in the suburban areas, including the newly formed Tambaram corporation, was washed into major lakes in the area by the rains.

Darwin Annadurai of Eco Society India said garbage has washed into lakes including Selaiyur, Rajakilpakkam, Sembakkam, Mappedu, Agaramthen and Thirumancheri.

“Illegal dumping of garbage continues close proximity to the lakes, micro and macro drains, vacant lands as well as on the roadside in several parts of the Tambaram corporation. Public also dump garbage near the water bodies,” he pointed out.

Garbage is thrown into rainwater channels that carry the surplus to lakes. From lakes, the garbage enters the sea while some settle at the bottom of the lakes.

“For example, surplus water from Agaramthen lake directly goes to Pallikaranai marsh and then to the sea. Most of the garbage seen in the lakes is plastic waste,” he said.

Apart from impacting the environment, the garbage affects the lake ecosystem thus affecting fish breeding.

Darwin Annadurai said better door-to-door garbage collection in newly developed areas such as Thirumancheri, Mappedu and Madambakkam — where real estate is gaining pace — by the local body could address the problem to some extent. “Hotels should be closely monitored for garbage dumping and proper handing over of garbage to the Corporation,” he said.

M Elangovan, Tambaram Corporation Commissioner, said the civic body is involved in door-to-door garbage collection and will look into shortcomings in the collection operations.

“To arrest trash getting carried into lakes, trash collector meshes will be installed at regular intervals across the drains and canals carrying water to the lakes,” he assured.