Chennai, Jan 15 (NationPress) Once seen as a vital urban water buffer along Chennai’s Radial Road, Putheri Lake remains in a state of distress despite a significant restoration initiative announced nearly a year ago.

The ongoing delays have resulted in the lake battling chronic sewage inflow, diminishing boundaries due to encroachments, and increasing heaps of solid waste, sparking concerns regarding the effectiveness and sequencing of restoration efforts.

Putheri Lake is part of a network of water bodies along the 14.3-km Radial Road, situated immediately after Pallavaram Periya Eri.

Covering an area of 10.45 acres, the lake was earmarked for restoration last year when the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority issued a tender worth Rs 3.4 crore aimed at enhancing its storage capacity and ecological health. However, tangible progress on-site has been uneven, with activities largely restricted to one section of the lake.

On the southern side, limited desilting and removal of water hyacinth have occurred. Nonetheless, the primary inlet to the lake is obstructed by a concrete step, while numerous sewage entry points are still open.

The excess water outlet, intended to direct overflow towards Keelkattalai Lake, has not been adequately desilted. Consequently, the causeway in this area is congested with plastic waste, household rubbish, and stagnant sewage, severely hindering water flow.

Conditions on the northern side are significantly worse. This portion of the lake continues to receive untreated sewage and is heavily infested with water hyacinth. No restoration activities have commenced here, and the region has essentially become an open dumping ground.

A busy road along the northern bund, leading to a private educational institution, is frequented daily by thousands of students and residents. The ongoing disposal of meat waste and domestic refuse along this stretch has raised serious concerns regarding public health and sanitation.

Encroachments surrounding the lake remain unresolved. Although several structures have been identified on land that originally belonged to the lake, restoration work has advanced without first reclaiming these areas, further diminishing the project’s efficacy.

Environmental experts warn that unless sewage inflow is halted and encroached land is reclaimed, restoration efforts will only yield superficial improvements.

Officials, however, assert that the sanctioned plan encompasses both the northern and southern sides of the lake, and that sewage inlets will be sealed once work on the southern section is finalized, after which restoration on the northern side will commence. Residents emphasize that timely, coordinated action is crucial to avert further deterioration of this urban waterbody and to restore its function in drainage, groundwater recharge, and public health safeguarding.