The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Anti-encroachment order hailed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 23, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Anti-encroachment order hailed

K. Manikandan

Authorities should follow up with quick action to save water bodies: activists

DYING WATER BODIES: A part of Adambakkam lake which has shrunk to only a tenth of its original 100 hectare spread, due to ecroachments and discharge sewage. — PHOTO: A. MURALITHARAN

TAMBARAM: The announcement by Kancheepuram Collector Pradeep Yadav that priority would be given to removing encroachments from water bodies has brought cheer to residents and activists who have been carrying battling to protect natural resources in the southern suburbs.

While stating that removal of encroachments from lakes and tanks in Tambaram taluk were long overdue, activists hoped that at least now, words would be transformed into action.

Activists in Tambaram area, while stating that the collector's announcement could not have come sooner, said unless immediate steps were taken, lakes and tanks would either fall prey to real estate sharks or die a natural death in the absence of maintenance by government agencies and also due to the discharge of raw domestic sewage and effluents by urban local bodies.

V.E. Subramanian, president of the State unit of Exnora Water Bodies said the Tiruvallur district administration had seized the opportunity to do something last year following the inundation of residential areas in the northern fringes of Chennai city due to encroachment of lakes, tanks, rivers and canals.

But there was very little action from the Kancheepuram district administration.

Tambaram taluk is spread over 200 sq. km with a population of over 25 lakhs.

Officials said water was filled to the brim in 65 lakes and tanks in the taluk after the last monsoon season.

The capacity of these water bodies was more than adequate to fulfil the needs of several local bodies, including the large municipalities of Alandur, Pallavaram and Tambaram and the dozens of other village and special village Panchayats.

Some activists regretted that government agencies had only themselves to blame for the present condition of these resources. They pointed out that encroachments began in the form of minor structures that were later approved by government departments that provided electricity, water and even drainage connections.

If at all encroachments were to be removed, the various government departments had to be sensitised about the importance of water bodies. Further the role of lower echelon staff of the Revenue Department, namely the Village Administrative Officer and the Revenue Inspector assumed significance as no encroachment could take place without their knowledge.

"Officials of the Public Works and the Revenue Department should be made accountable for their lapses if encroachments come up," an activist remarked. The activists said they would only be too glad to extend support to government officials in protecting these natural resources.

But the urban bodies and the district administration lacked coordination to protect them, they regretted.

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