The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Tiruvallur administration cracks down on lake encroachments

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 10, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Tiruvallur administration cracks down on lake encroachments

Staff Reporter

With flood threat looming, district administration toughens stance against violators

CLAMOUR FOR RELIEF: Residents of New Anna Nagar reach out for food packets from philanthropists, as they were without food, water and power supply for five days. — Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

CHENNAI: With the looming threat of further flooding, the Tiruvallur district administration began acting tough on Wednesday. Ordering the use of heavy earthmoving equipment, officials began removing encroachments blocking flow of flood water in Ambattur lake.

More than 60 houses and structures blocking the outflow conduit of this lake were removed by earthmovers. The lake is spread over 55 acres and its overflow should naturally move towards water bodies further north and east.

The district Collector Pankaj Kumar Bansal issued a warning against those trying to breach lakes and said severe legal action would be initiated against such "anti social acts."

The encroachments were not only reducing the water spread, but also stood right on the outflow channels, forcing the rising water levels to flow into Ambattur flooding residential colonies.

Simultaneously, the administration took up many relief measures to ease the woes of rain affected citizens living near the overflowing Ambattur and Arapatheri lakes in the city's western fringe.

But in some areas where there was severe flooding, citizens complained of lack of food and relief material. In some parts of Ambattur, such as New Anna Nagar philanthropy took over with people organising relief camps.

According to local officials, rebuilding of the breached embankment of Arapath Lake continued on Wednesday. It was scheduled to be completed late on Wednesday or early Thursday. Hundreds of Thirumullaivoyal residents were struggling for safety after flood waters from this lake spread across 32 across entered their homes.

The worst-affected residents were those of Annai Sathya Nagar, Thanthai Periyar Nagar and Pudhiya Anna Nagar. Water has receded to some extent in Ganapathi Nagar and Indra Nagar, residents said.

Some of the encroachments removed on Wednesday were at Annai Sathya Nagar. As rain water had entered many of the homes, residents moved to relief centres set up in the local schools at night and returned in the morning.

Flood water was pumped into a surplus conduit (Kalangal) to prevent any further breaching.

Avadi Municipality officials said that about 1,500 food packets had been prepared on Wednesday and distributed in relief centres. Residents hoped they could soon go back home, as they were worried about the safety of their belongings. They moved to and fro on rubber tubes and improvised boats to obtain provisions.

Golden George Nagar, Sivananda Nagar and Teachers' Colony remained flooded with two feet of water. A relief centre was set up in Gupta school. Six medical teams were employed to go to various affected areas. Chlorine was sprinkled on stagnant water. A spokesman for the Tiruvallur district administration said Collector Pankaj Kumar Bansal ordered the deployment of 54 JCPs (earthmovers) and 105 water pumps to pump out stagnated water in Ambattur, Tirumullaivoyal, Maduravoyal and Nolambur. Most of the work to stop the overflow from Alapakkam lake had been completed. "The entire machinery of the government is out to prevent stagnation of water," the spokesman said. More than 25,800 persons were being given food thrice in the camps in this place alone.

He added that those who lived in the houses removed as part of the anti-encroachment drive had the option of moving to one of 37 rain and flood relief camps in the district. Explaining the relief measures taken up in Gummidipoondi taluk, the spokesman said the according to figures available with the administration, over 460 lakes and ponds were either overflowing or had breached in the entire Tiruvallur district. "But all of them were being attended to immediately and work is on round the clock to minimise damage."

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