Chennai, India’s sixth largest city, is running out of water. Around four major reservoirs supplying drinking water to Chennai have run dry leading it to be one of the most pressing water crises of the country. However, hope rekindles as the Paruthapattu Lake undergoes a restoration project.
Found in Avadi, in the northern part of the city, the Paruthapattu Lake was heavily polluted and encroached till last year. After undergoing a Rs. 28 crore project, the project has been converted into a 12-feet deep lake with a three-kilometre-long bund. Additionally, a Rs. 35 crore sewage treatment plant is built on the lake’s shore which will treat the sewage and pump one crore litres of recycled water into the lake from next week.
However, this project which involved the relocation of around 500 people, is not likely to help the current water crisis as the water remains unfit for consumption. Mr Pandiarajan, Tamil Nadu’s Culture Minister says, “I think we need to have a little higher quality for making it consumption worthy from drinking point of view. First, we are trying to use some non-traditional methods like Vetriver floats (almost similar to what was used on the Ganges) and oxygen infusion. We would try to look at all those aspects and see whatever is viable to draw water from here.”
Our heart goes out to the people of Chennai suffering from this severe water crisis. While the Avadi lake is not likely to solve the problem on its own, it’ll however help the city in the long run.
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