Civic body converts SWD into UGD around Pallavaram Lake

While the officials say that the move will plug the sewage flow into the lake, the residents say only half of the households would be covered under the project that will also legalise the encroachments around the lake. 

Even though the restoration of the lake was completed before a month ago, the underground drainage works are still under way, say the officials. According to the proposed plan, the civic body envisages to connect the underground drainage with a Sewage Treatment Plant in Perungudi. The civic body is expediting the work, which is expected to be over soon, claims an official. 

A senior official from the civic body said, “The ongoing work will stop flow of sewage into the waterbody. Thus, the lake will be saved from further deterioration. Earlier, the locals registered their protest contending that the move will legalise the encroachers dotted in and around the lake. We have no other option except this to save the available water for the future.”

However, the secretary of the Federation of Civic and Welfare Associations of Pallavaram Municipality, C Murugaiyan, said that the civic body cannot plug the sewage flowing into the water body as only half of household are covered under the UGD network. “The eviction of encroachers is the only available way to address this problem. All the lakes in and around the neighborhood are facing the same problem.”

According to the officials, merely 27,000 households are currently provided with the UGD connections out of a total of 55,000 that fall under the jurisdiction of the municipality. 

Meanwhile, the completion of the restoration work would rejuvenate the groundwater, say residents of Zamin Pallavaram and its neighbouring areas. A resident of Zamin Pallavaram, Saravanan, said, “Till now, the residents of our area have not purchased water. We are sustaining only because the desilting and deepening works have recharged the groundwater in our area. Further, the arrest of sewage will improve the quality of water.” 

As part of the restoration works, the lake was desilted, deepened apart from strengthening of bund and laying of approach road. Last year, the State government sanctioned Rs 14.98 lakh to undertake these works at Pallavaram lake and Keelkattalai lake.