TIRUCHY: As a part of the beautification of water bodies, minister KN Nehru recommended the Tiruchy district administration to renovate Chinna Eri near the Thuraiyur bus stand and instructed officials to study the feasibility of transforming it into a tourist attraction.

The Chinna Eri has been at the centre of controversy over pollution, especially the dumping of garbage. People from the locality and environmental activists appealed to the district administration to revive the lake. KN Nehru inspected the district administration’s response to clean up the lake. Plastic wastes have already been removed from Chinna Eri, officials said. The administration issued a warning to residents and commercial establishments not to pollute the water body.

On Saturday, minister Nehru visited the Chinna Eri and asked the officials to renovate and beautify the water body. He asked the officials to desilt the lake and establish entertainment slots including boat service, a water fountain and a shopping complex close to it so that it could be a place for residents to spend time.

The minister also asked the officials to draft a detailed project report at the earliest so that the tender process would commence and the works would be completed. He said the project would attract significant income to the Thuraiyur Municipality. District collector M Pradeep Kumar and elected members and other officials were present during the inspection.