Periya eri
Encroachments remain a major challenge on the lake’s northern side, where officials have identified around 200 residential and commercial structures. Pallavaram resident and activist David Manohar said RTI data had earlier shown about 1,300 encroachments around the lake, and claimed the number had since increased.
A senior WRD official said silt and other obstructions would be cleared to restore the channels’ carrying capacity. Officials said these would be removed as part of the project. An official said sewage would have to be diverted to the underground sewerage system before the lake could be restored as a freshwater source. Residents welcomed the work but said removing encroachments and stopping sewage inflows must go hand in hand with desilting. They said sewage from buildings and tanker lorries continued to enter the lake. Unless this is stopped completely, the restoration will not achieve its purpose,” said M Gandhi, president of the Pallavaram Residents’ Welfare Association. “Many commercial establishments are using the stormwater drains to dump sewage into the lake,” he said.
The WRD plans to restore three major inlet channels that bring water to the lake: one from the Tirusulam hills, another from Thiruneermalai through Moongil Eri, and a third from Veeraraghavan Lake through Chrompet. “It’s not just sewage. The southern side is being used as a dumping ground. Garbage is regularly burnt. He urged the corporation and WRD to verify the count.