Residents blame official apathy as garbage floats on Ambattur lake

“Though Metrowater is beingsupplied in the area, many households dependent on groundwaterfor their daily needs. The lake plays a vital role in maintaining the level of the groundwater table in the area. If the lake is polluted, the groundwater will also be harmed. Thesituation is worsening as solid waste is being dumped into the lake,”said Lavanya Jayaprakash, aresident of Ambattur.

Though many complaints and petitions have been made to the corporation, residents said that no action has been taken yet. “May petitions have been given to the authorities. But no steps have been taken to clean the lake. Instead, the pollution is increasing,” added Lavanya.

Residents said that pollution of the waterbodies will not only affect the living organisms in the water but also the people livind around it.

“It’s not the residents who are dumping waste into the late but passers-by. Even if we clean the lake, it seems to be polluted again the next day. As the level of the water is low now, garbage is dumped on the lakebed where there is no water. But once it rains, the entire place will be filled with water and thus the situation will become worse. Authorities should ensure a permanent solution for this issue,” said Balaji P, another resident.

When contacted, a Corporation official said that they were engaged in cleaning the lake every week. “Still the garbage is increasing. Sometimes, residents come forward to help clean the lake. We are taking steps to keep the lake clean, but nothing can be done without public cooperation,” he said.