Residents flag garbage dumping, sewage threat near Red Hills reservoir

The Red Hills reservoir, 1 of Chennai’s cardinal drinking h2o sources, present brimming to capacity, offers a picturesque presumption from the main bund. But its rear portions stay susceptible to coagulated discarded dumping and sewage pollution.

Residents of Surapet person raised concerns astir unchecked coagulated discarded dumping on the lake, peculiarly adjacent the Surapet h2o attraction works maintained by the Chennai Metrowater.

Spread implicit 20.86 sq. km, the Red Hills reservoir has reached 100% capableness of 3,300 cardinal cubic feet. A minimal inflow of 50 cusecs, received arsenic run-off from the catchment areas, is being discharged done the shutters.

M. Murugan, a nonmigratory of Nagathamman Koil Street abutting the water and the Surapet attraction plant, said: “The antecedently adust country on the rear portions of the lake, falling nether the Ambattur zone, has filled up with water. Gaps successful the parapet partition on the bund person go convenient for radical to entree the water for bathing and washing clothes. Cattle are besides being bathed during weekends.”

Small boats person besides been anchored successful the water area. The dumping of garbage on the bund and wrong the reservoir continues contempt steps taken to wide them, helium said. Residents of Surapet said h2o is drawn from the aforesaid agelong for attraction arsenic good arsenic metropolis supply. They person urged the authorities to reconstruct the parapet partition and restrict entree to the reservoir to forestall the contamination of the h2o source.

S. Sundaramurthy, president, Puzhal Eri Arafath Eri Pathukappu Makkal Iyakkam, a citizen-led movement, said sewage flowed straight into the reservoir done stormwater drains successful areas similar Bhanu Nagar West, VOC Street, Oragadam, Venkateswara Nagar, and Balaji Nagar East successful Ambattur. Sewage is fto into the waterbody contempt a sewage pumping presumption functioning successful Lenin Nagar and the levy of fines.

Officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) said a ₹52-crore task has been projected to fortify the bund moving for 8 km. Work was already carried retired for 1.4 km adjacent main bund. Construction of parapet partition and bund extortion adjacent areas similar Surapet has besides been incorporated. Measures to forestall contamination would beryllium taken on with the Chennai Metrowater.

Cholavaram reservoir bund damage

Though 3 different large reservoirs are full, the Cholavaram reservoir is maintained astatine 50% retention due to the fact that of damages successful the bund contempt the caller ₹40-crore enactment to fortify captious portions.

Officials of the WRD said a five-member adept committee has been constituted to survey the contented and suggest solutions for imperishable rehabilitation. The reservoir bund has suffered recurring damages successful the past owed to geographical mounting and ungraded conditions. Repair enactment to code ungraded erosion gullies owed to rainfall are nether way.