Chennai: Residents are voluntarily engaged in reviving two tanks – Nattar Kuttai and Puliyankeni – in Velacheri. Central Water Commission (CWC) officials made a surprise visit to the area recently. This was a much-needed boost to the volunteers, feel the residents.
The CWC team inspected the tanks and suggested their views on how to improve them. Speaking to News Today, Executive Engineer, Chennai Corporation, Murali said, “Ajay Yadav, IAS, and his team from Central Water Commission inspected all the waterbodies, including the Velacheri lake and Dhandeeswaram temple tank, located in the neighbourhood.”
Murali also said that the stormwater drain department has given work orders to an NGO, Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), which will be undertaking works at Nattar Kuttai and Puliyankeni tank. The NGO has already commenced work at Nattar street, and the works of both the tanks will be finished before monsoon. “Nearly 30 tanks in the city have been taken up for revival, out of which two belong to the neighbourhood.”
Both the tanks were covered with water hyacinths, construction debris, wild grass, garbage, dirty water and plenty of plastic waste. On one hand, Nattar Kuttai covers 75 acres and is 12-feet deep. For the past few weeks, work has been going on here with volunteers and forums like ‘Save Velacheri Water Bodies’ working hand-in-hand to revive the waterbody. Recently, two JCBs and nearly 150 volunteers got together to clean it. Damodaran of Kattabomman Sangam is a major contributor.
“The residents and forum members pooled in Rs 1.5 lakh for the project. We will co-ordinate with the EFI as well,” says Kumararaja, co-ordinator of ‘Save Velacheri Waterbodies’.
Pending works here at Nattar Street tank would involve deepening, desilting, strengthening the bund, building steps and compound wall. Removal of plastic waste from the bund is a herculean task, said a resident. Also, plans are on to extend the tank’s boundary by 10 feet. The tank now also has an stormwater drain network connecting Rajalakshmi Nagar and Jagannathapuram.
On the other hand, Puliyankeni tank covers one acre and is 25-feet deep. Interestingly, the waterbody comprises two small wells that were used for pumping water to meet the needs of the locals decades ago, said Kumararaja. EFI will have to strengthen the bunds, remove water hyacinths, build a compound wall and a foot path around the tank, he added.