Chennai: Cleaning disused lakes and ponds has been gaining momentum in the neighbourhood. Members of Ambattur Waterbodies Protection Movement have completed two more ponds and are currently working on the third.
The waterbodies in question are Siva Vishnu temple pond, Gangai Amman Temple pond and Pattaravakkam Big pond. The first two had four days work done on each, with Rs 1.2 lakh spent in total.
The big pond however is another big issue. Speaking about it, co-ordinator of AWPM, Nedumaran said, “The pond is quite big in size and it also has encroachments. We are working with the space and machinery we have. It is savable.”
Members of the group took encouragement when Minister SP Velumani made a visit to the said waterbodies. It must be noted that the Minister provided the machinery needed to keep the project alive.
According to sources, he was happy to see water come from one of the ponds even during the dry season. “The Minister was happy in the work that we did within the time frame and importantly at much reduced costs than what it would normally take. We were happy that he said further projects would be awarded to us and we are pumped up,” said members of the entity.
The report regarding the developments were also noted by the government authorities, said the members of the group.
AWPM consists of 13 core members. Of them, five senior members are called the aimperum kuzhu and they provide wise advice when needed, while the younger members execute their plans.
Their next course of action is to find more lakes and ponds in the neighbourhood, identify the issues surrounding them and revive them to their former glory. Well, let them succeed in their endeavours.
