Chennai: Recently, Save Water Bodies Velacheri, a neighbourhood forum, cleaned two neglected tanks – Puliyankeni Kulam located at Brahmin Street and Nattar Kuttai at Nattar Street – with help from the Civic body, welfare associations and nearly 200 volunteers. The project is being helmed by S Kumararaja and Damodaram, who are the coordinators.
The group is now working on building a compound wall, walkers path, and laying stones on the inner portion of the tanks. A press release said, the forum notified the progress of this project to Central and State government officials concerned, including the MLA.
On 13 July, Central Water Resources Department higher official Ajay, along with Chennai Corporation and SWD officials, visited both the ponds and interacted with the forum members. He appreciated the team for undertaking effort to rejuvenate the water bodies as it would help recharge the groundwater table in the surrounding areas.
He said that the team could further continue with the project under the ‘Nammakku Naame’ scheme, wherein the forum could contribute 50 per cent of the expenditure and the balance would be borne by the Corporation. The forum would still be in charge of the logistics of the project. Ajay also directed Chennai Corporation officials to remove water hyacinths from the water bodies immediately.
He further promised to make weekly visit to the area and monitor the progress. Fifty NSS students of Guru Nanak College, Velacheri, participated in the cleaning process on 13 July.