Residents seek Sembakkam Lake revival

• Residents said that they had been fighting for the rejuvenation of the lake, a major groundwater recharge source, for over two decades now. Though a new channel was built to convey rainwater from Chitlapakkam Lake, sewage from neighbouring areas flowed into the Sembakkam Lake through the channel and stormwater drains.
• The lake, which was originally spread over 150 acres, has shrunk in size to nearly 104 acres due to urbanisation and encroachments. “Sewage entered the lake through the Tambaram Corporation’s sewer network too. Several schemes were announced to rejuvenate the lake over the years. But the projects are yet to take off.
• Residents have demanded that a restoration project worth ₹10 crore, which was proposed to be executed through the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, be implemented after the elections. In addition to desilting the lake and strengthening the bund, they also sought a police outpost to be established on Second Main Road.
• The lack of a proper underground sewer network posed a major challenge in protecting water bodies.
• Sewage from residential areas in Tambaram and Pallavaram is let into the waterbody. The need to rejuvenate the lake has not got enough priority as it borders three constituencies- Sholinganallur, Pallavaram and Tambaram,”