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13 water bodies short-listed for eco-restoration

Saptarshi Bhattacharya

`Involving the people so that they realise their own stake in maintaining water bodies is important' Solid waste, sewage `biggest threats'

CHENNAI: The Environment Department has short-listed 13 water bodies on the southern and western fringes of Greater Chennai Area for eco-restoration.

The department will restore half-a-dozen lakes to begin with, prioritising them on the basis of the social and ecological importance of the lakes; it would push for participation of the people of the respective localities as well.

A study commissioned by the department and conducted by the CPR Environmental Education Centre surveyed 46 lakes in the Chennai Metropolitan Area and identified 13 lakes in suburban Chennai that could be taken up for restoration.

Only one water body in the list — the Chetpet Lake — is within the city limits.

Documenting the status of the lakes was only the first step, said S. Balaji, Director of Environment. The department would prepare a detailed project report to submit it to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Restoration would be the department's initiative but for the task to be successful, generating local interest was important. Dr. Balaji said that the local authorities in Pudukkottai maintained the lakes well and they had no drinking water problems when the rest of the State was reeling under drought during the last two summers.

While preparing the detailed project report, the department would also assess the quality of water in the lakes and the treatment facilities that need to be installed. Among the biggest threats to the water bodies was the disposal of solid wastes and discharge of sewage, the survey has identified. T. Sundaramoorthy, Head of Biodiversity Conservation Education in CPR Environmental Education Centre, who presented the preliminary report of the study, said the study covered 358 urban local bodies in 30 district headquarters.

The objective was to assess the current status of the water bodies and suggest appropriate conservation measures.

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