A section of residents in the city has expressed concern over the poor upkeep of Kottapattu Periyakulam, which was developed into a recreational spot in Tiruchi.
Located on Tiruchi-Pudukottai National Highway, the waterbody once covered 120 acres but has been reduced to just 75 acres due to rapid urbanisation and encroachment.
Following demands, Tiruchi Corporation developed the tank into a recreational spot with a walking track, seating space, decorative plants, beautification lights and metal fencing in September 2023. However, due to poor upkeep of the tank, the growth of aquatic weeds and invasive plants has become rampant, thereby attracting fewer visitors.
Although the initiative was welcomed by the residents, the sorry state of the waterbody has drawn flak among them. “Despite the beautification project, the water body was not desilted properly, and water hyacinths and invasive weeds still envelop it. The spot remains neglected, and the presence of snakes is keeping the visitors away,” said J. Murugan, a resident of J.K. Nagar.
“The waterbody is prone to overflow during the monsoon. The civic body should take necessary steps to prevent discharge of wastewater into the tank,” said K.C. Neelamegam, an environmental activist.
Since the tank has abundant water throughout the year, the winged visitors arrive in large numbers, especially in the coming months. The waterbody should be desilting in order to attract visitors, and this would be the ideal time to attract more birds as well, Mr. Murugan added.
Initially, the civic body planned to redevelop the waterbody to provide pleasure boating service, create habitat islands in five scattered locations for waterbirds within the tank and a park with water fountains using the Jal Jeevan Mission funds. However, the proposal did not materialise.
When contacted, a senior Corporation official said they would inspect the area and carry out a desilting drive to clear the weeds. Steps would be taken to ensure the waterbody was maintained properly.
Published - November 13, 2024 07:14 pm IST
