PWD gets clean-up act together for water bodies

To protect lakes from pollution and prevent the public from using them as dumping grounds, the Public Works Department’s Water Resources Department (WRD) has begun setting up fences around some lakes. The WRD is also engaging in desilting works in the flooddamaged Adyar river. 

WRD officials say the time is ripe for undertaking such works as the last north-east monsoon filled up all the water-bodies with rainwater. Officials were thus prompted to keep a tab on the waterfilled lakes and prepare some plans for improving the state of the lake, which included fencing, desilting and construction of ramparts at some points around the lakes at an estimated cost of Rs 75 crore. The works would be undertaken at 13 main lakes.

“As planned, we have started important works in some lakes with regard to protection of water-bodies. We firstly took up fencing works in Perungudi lake. We will gradually take up such works in other lakes such as those in Velachery and Adambakkam,” said an engineer from PWD, Chennai region, requesting anonymity. The engineer also added that they would mainly cover the lakes situated within city limits. 

Officials stressed that they were continuously inspecting all lakes to put up fences. “It is a fact that garbage in large quantity is being dumped along the banks of several lakes. We will construct ramparts or fencing to prevent such disposal of refuse. Further, signboards containing awareness messages and warnings for violators will also be erected,” said an engineer. 

The temporary desilting of Adyar river near Maraimalai Adigal bridge at Saidapet is underway as the Public Works Department (Water Resources Department) is working on widening the banks of the river.