Chennai Citizen Connect: Water hyacinth chokes Perungalathur lake, locals urge immediate action

CHENNAI: Perungalathur residents demand the Corporation to clear the water hyacinths covering the lake in Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Park.

Waterbodies getting infested with floating weeds and sewage pollution have become a major issue across the city. Residents and activists stress the regular removal of weeds to ensure ecosystem protection.

The Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Park is located in Perungalathur near Indira Nagar. Every day, hundreds of people will visit the park for their walk in the morning and evening. Despite being one of the biggest parks in Perungalathur with thousands of visitors, the authorities have failed to take proper care of the park.

Dinesh, a resident of Perungalathur, noted the park attracted more visitors and walkers a few years ago because the Corporation took steps to ensure park maintenance at regular intervals. However, the park has not been maintained properly in the last couple of years.

The visitors and walkers hesitate to visit the park due to the foul smell emanating from the bird droppings and the poor maintenance of the lake.

“I have been visiting the park for many years for my morning walk. Ten years ago, the park, with a clean lake and fresh air, was the perfect location for a pleasant morning. Now, it’s the opposite, with the lake fully covered with a layer of water hyacinth due to poor maintenance,” said a regular visitor Ramanathan. The Corporation staff are also not removing the bird droppings regularly and the smell is unbearable, forcing us to wear masks while walking in the park, he added.

When contacted, an official from Tambaram Corporation claimed that the workers clean the park every morning and evening and assured that the lake will also be cleaned soon.