24 crore for lake rehabilitation

Chennai: Following Chetpet lake, the highly polluted Ambattur, Madhavaram and Korattur lakes will also be ecologically restored.

The state government has released Rs 24 crore for rehabilitation and restoration of the lakes along with 19 wetlands in the state. Contractors and officials supervising the restoration projects will be required to send monthly reports on the progress of work undertaken through state funds.

Both Madhavaram and Ambattur are known for pollution due to heavy machinery industries polluting the water bodies. Since 2005, vehicle pollution has also been on rise and emission testing centres were set up in the localities, an official said.

As part of the environment protection and renewable energy fund, projects have been identified across the state and last year, '50 crore was sanctioned which includes '12 crore for restoration of the Chetpet lake. For the current year, the fund has been raised to '100 crore and the focus will be on polluted water bodies in and around Chennai, the official source said.

The projects will be taken up between the PWD and the forest department. Besides conservation works, projects for wildlife awareness, Shola forest restoration have also been sanctioned. Funds for promoting eco-groups in schools, production of wildlife documentaries and research projects will also be supported, the official said.

It is a welcome move to restore the lakes, but what has been happening in the past is just clearing of debris, encroachments and some indigenous greenery. Now, the concept of lake restoration has to change and local people should be roped in, said wildlife biologist A. Kumaraguru of the biodiversity conservation foundation.

Lake restorations should now have evaluation of both flora and fauna before commencing the project and any restoration ought to be ecologically proved, he added.Restoration of Madhavaram and Ambattur lakes had been a long pending demand of environmentalists.

“Both the wetlands serve as a habitat for more than 20 species of wetland birds,” said bird tracker and photographer S. Balaji of Tambaram. In Chennai, the pheasant tailed Jacana (Madhavaram Jheel) and purple moorhen have been facing threats and the bio restoration of these water bodies will improve the ecology of  the entire Madhavaram and Ambattur, he said.