Covid derails rejuvenation of Chennai lakes – Times of India

Work on Medavakkam, Narayananapuram, Kilkattalai and Velachery lakes and Buckingham Canal has been delayed

CHENNAI: The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has delayed rejuvenation of four important lakes and the Buckingham Canal in Chennai.
Two panels, constituted by National Green Tribunal Southern Zone (NGT SZ) to look into disposal of raw sewage into water bodies in south Chennai, had recently sought more time to finalise action plans. This indicated that the actual ground work might start much later than scheduled.
The first case pertaining to Medavakkam, Narayananapuram and Kilkattalai lakes was raised by TOI in in a report published on February 17. As per the report, around 18 lakh million litres of untreated sewage was discharged into Kovilambakkam surplus channel, which ultimately reaches the lakes thereby affecting ground water quality.
Complaints from residents of Sunambu Kolathur in Kovilambakkam panchayat on stench rising from the surplus channel also went unattented.
NGT SZ members Justice K. Ramakrishnan and Saibal Dasgupta took suo moto cognizance of the report on February 20 and constituted a committee to ascertain the present status and action-to-be-taken.
Pallavaram municipal commissioner was appointed the nodal officer for this committee with representatives from Chengelpet district collectorate, local panchayat and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). When this case came up for hearing on May 29 through video conferencing, the committee members requested more time to file the report as inspection could not be done due to the pandemic and lockdown. Admitting this, the NGT SZ members granted them two months’ time to finish their work.
The other panel, constituted to protect Velachery lake, also sought more time and got their deadline extended by one month. This committee is to submit a report on action to be taken against violators for illegally discharging septage water into a rainwater drain which leads to Velachery lake.
It has also been directed to examine the water quality of the lake showing all parameters, including Total Coliform and Faecal Coliform, if any, exist in excess of the quantity provided and suggest remedial measures to be taken to restore the water quality in the lake.
The third panel was constituted on February 25 to study unscientific dumping of garbage by the side of Buckingham Canal thereby affecting the water quality and causing air pollution. The landfill storage area near Navalur is uncovered and waste is burnt in the open, said petitioner P S Mani. The concerned panel has now been asked to submit its report by August 20.