Chitlapakkam Lake
Chitlapakkam aeri, or Chitlapakkam lake, is an urban lake located in Chitlapakkam, Chennai, India. It is the chief water body in the neighbourhood. Originally measuring 86.86 acres, the lake has currently shrunken to 46.88 acres. The lake was last restored in 2003. History Chitlapakkam lake is the uppermost tank in the Keelkattalai cluster of waterbodies. Before urbanization, Chitlapakkam was an important agricultural area. The water from the lake was then used for irrigation, with an ayacut area of 219 acres. Pachamalai hill in the neighbourhood served as a source for the lake. The original capacity of the lake was 7.02 million cubit feet. Until the 1980s, the waterfront provided recreation. The lake filled water tanks in the nearby areas of Sembakkam and Hasthinapuram. Till the early 1980s, groundwater could be found in the neighbourhood at a depth of just 5 feet. The water level did not fall below 10 feet even at the peak of summer. The area became a residential area chiefly due to the reason that the water was potable. The lake also attracted migratory birds and was a favourite spot for birdwatchers. In 1990, the government planned to use the lake bed for construction of public utilities, namely, a district court, bus terminus and the Tambaram Taluk office. Residential layouts were planned by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board on the lake bed. However, the locals resisted these governmental measures by means of a massive campaign to protect the lake and succeeded. The community also urged the Kancheepuram district administration to restore the lake. This resulted in strengthening of the lake bunds and raising their height to 10 feet in 2003. These measures increased the storage capacity of the lake. However, the lack of an underground drainage system in localities around the lake resulted in several gallons of untreated sewage flowing into the lake regularly. According to estimates by the public works department, as much as 175 encroachments have taken over various parts of the lake bed. The lake The total area of the water body is 86.86 acres. However, the water body has shrunk to 47 acres, chiefly due to encroachments. After the conversion of agricultural farms into residential areas, the water from the lake is not used for irrigation. There are three channels at the foot of the hill, which have been connected to the Chitlapakkam Lake. Because of the presence of lake, the water table level is higher compared with many other areas in Chennai. The level of water table in this area is 2.50 to 8 m, and the level of TDS is 400 to 900 ppm. The lake is also serves as a bird-watching center. From April to September spot-dotted pelicans are seen, and round the year grey herons are seen in this lake. Pollution The lake has been contaminated by the sewage from houses in the neighbourhood. Garbage from 15,000 households and sewage from 1,500 commercial establishments on GST Road make their way into the lake. A recent audit by NGOs highlighted