The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `Take steps for improving Ellaiamman temple tank'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 19, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`Take steps for improving Ellaiamman temple tank'

Staff reporter

Walls need to be strengthened; surrounding streets need to be cleared: residents

TRADITIONAL RESOURCE: A view of the West Mambalam Elaiamman Temple tank walls, which require to be supported with steps. — Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

CHENNAI: If the Ellaiamman Temple tank in West Mambalam is to continue as a valuable water harvesting resource, its walls need to be strengthened, streets around it cleaned and rainwater collection made more efficient, say residents.

At present, one corner of the tankhas a wall that could easily collapse. Sand bags have been piled to prevent its collapse.

The tank was desilted and renovated as part of a Rs. 26 lakh project in 1997. Although walls were built, no steps were laid to the tank.

Residents of West Mambalam living near the tank say that the absence of steps weakens the walls when water exerts pressure. "Because there were no protective steps along the tank walls, a portion of it had collapsed. It was rebuilt last year but again without steps," said M. Babu of Sampangi Street. The tank's water harvesting potential is useful to residents of Shanthi Street, K. V. Koil Street, Pushpavathi Amman Street and Jothi Ramalingam Street.

Streets around the tank now serve as public toilets and garbage dumps due to which residents have given up using the streets."If the streets are cleared and blacktopped, they could ease traffic congestion in the Madley Road subway," said T. Nagar Zone Exnora Secretary R. Govindaraj. As there are several schools in the route, the streets could accommodate at least two-wheelers and bring down vehicular traffic on the existing route, he said. If streetlights are added around the tank, the space could be used by walkers too.

Run-off reservoir

Residents have asked for the rainwater run-off collected in the storm water drains in West Mambalam tobe diverted into the Eliamman Temple tank just like the Triplicane and Parthasarathy Temple tank.

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