The heart of Chennai’s IT sector, The OMR is also home to a number of water bodies which include lakes, ponds, canals and more. With urbanization these water bodies have started to vanish and most of them have turned in to a dumping ground.

Hidden away between two tall residential towers, adjacent to the Buckingham canal is the Egatoor Pond.

When we first visited the pond, it was overgrown with invasive weeds and solid waste dumped along with its periphery. This pond was take up for an eco restoration in early 2019 and saw an active participation for the local residents. Thus began a collaborative conservation effrot between the Kanchipuram District Administration, Ford India, E.F.I and the residents of the neighbourhood.

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The next couple of months saw vigorous mechanised effort at the pond. Removal solid waste, Deweeding, Peripheral desilting and Earthen bund construction and strengthening. The pond’s existing Palm and Neem tree islands were left intact and only invasive plants and weeds were removed.

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Post restoration the ponds entire circumference was fenced to prevent future dumping of trash and along with the existing native plant in the pond additional native saplings such as Pungai and Neem were planted along its bunds.

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E.F.I thanks the Kanchipuram District Administration for the administration support. The Ford India team in Chennai for funding the restoration and the residents of the neighborhood for voluntarily strengthening the efforts.

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Watch what local residents had to say about the restoration efforts:

Volunteer for India and her environment with E.F.I!

-Jai Hind-