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Around 750 houses and shops located around the Velachery Lake in Chennai are facing eviction due to an ongoing clean-up drive in the area. The drive, initiated by the Chennai Corporation and the Water Resources Department, aims to remove illegal encroachments around the lake and restore its original capacity.
The Velachery Lake is a natural water body located in the southern part of Chennai. It is spread over an area of 120 acres and is an important source of water for the city. However, over the years, the lake has been subjected to severe encroachments, leading to a reduction in its capacity and deterioration of its water quality.
The state water resources department informed the National Green Tribunal Southern Zone (NGT SZ) that all encroachers have been given time to answer, and if the government considers their justifications inadequate, they would be removed.
The statement was submitted in conjunction with a complaint brought by Velachery residents against government slowness in evicting squatters, which caused the lake's initial size of 265 acres to shrink to its current size of 55 acres.
The eviction drive is being carried out in phases, with the first phase covering areas around the lake's southern side. The eviction notices were issued to the encroachers in September 2021, giving them 30 days to vacate the premises. However, the encroachers have been resisting the eviction, citing lack of alternative accommodation and livelihood options.
S. Kumaradasan, a Velachery native Eri Pathukappu Iyakkam reported that the lake was not regularly desilted and that untreated sewage was discharged into the body of water that had previously provided drinking water for the community.
The lake has significant amounts of bacteria, chlorides, and total dissolved solids, according to later water test results (TDS). At other locations, such as the Kakkan Bridge in Adambakkam (2,400 MPN per 100 Mg/L), contamination levels were quite high. In Maruthupandiyar Road, additional pollution levels were also significantly above average.
The eviction drive has faced criticism from some quarters, who argue that it is being carried out without providing adequate compensation or rehabilitation to the affected people. They also point out that many of the encroachments were made with the connivance of the authorities, and therefore, the authorities themselves are responsible for the situation.
The cleanup drive is part of a larger effort by the Chennai Corporation and the Water Resources Department to restore the city's water bodies and improve its water security. The initiative also involves the removal of silt and debris from the lake bed and the construction of a new bund to prevent further encroachments.
The Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) proposed to set up collection wells at five key locations, which would include Kakkan Nagar Main Road, Bhavani Nagar Main Road, Statri Nagar, Raj Bhavan Canal, and 100 Feet Road, to intercept and divert sullage or grey water into the nearby sewage pumping station after the NGT severely criticized state agencies for delays.
Encroachments on water bodies and other public lands are a major problem in many Indian cities, leading to a reduction in the availability of land for public use and environmental degradation. The government has introduced various laws and regulations to prevent such encroachments, but their enforcement has been weak due to corruption and lack of political will.
This project, which was intended to block sewage from being discharged into storm sewers (intended to convey only surplus rainwater), which finally reached the lake, was expected to cost roughly Rs. 4 crore. However, activities were delayed partly due to the road cut prohibition by Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) during the North East Monsoon period from October to December 2022. The CMWSSB informed the NGT that work had restarted in January and that 45% of the project was now finished.
While the eviction may cause temporary hardship to the affected people, it is essential for maintaining the ecological balance and preventing further encroachments. The government needs to ensure that the affected people are adequately compensated and provided with alternative accommodation and livelihood options. At the same time, there is a need for stronger enforcement of laws and regulations to prevent encroachments on public lands and water bodies.
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