The Water Resources Department resumed its drive to remove a portion of encroachments in Korattur lake on Wednesday.
Nearly 39 encroached structures were cleared from Muthamizh Nagar, Dhanalakshmi Nagar and Moogambigai Nagar and R.K. Dakshan Nagar. Korattur lake, which is one of the major waterbodies in the city, is spread over 600 acres and has a catchment area of 5.380 sq.km.
The department carried out the eviction drive along with revenue department officials and police personnel. The waterbody has been an easy prey for recurring issues of encroachments and sewage disposal for many years now. Officials of the WRD noted that 29 more encroached structures have been identified to be cleared from the lake area.
The department plans to form earthen bunds in portions of the lake’s foreshore area. This would help secure the retrieved site from further encroachments and reduce waterlogging in the surrounding areas. Nearly 4.69 acres of the lake’s foreshore area has been retrieved after the drive on Wednesday, officials said.
Residents wanted the work to form bund to be carried out immediately and the encroachments to be cleared before the onset of the Northeast monsoon, adhering to the court directive. S.Sekaran, secretary, Korattur Aeri Pathukappu Makkal Iyakkam (KAPMI), a citizen’s movement dedicated to lake’s protection, said while many were served eviction notices, only a portion of the encroachments identified were cleared on Wednesday. The department must initiate stringent action against encroachers.
KAPMI members also sought the height of the lake’s weir, which allow surplus water to flow out, along Water Canal Road to be raised to increase storage capacity. There was also a need for deepening the waterbody, they said.
