Polambakkam lake in a rural set up, Ottiyambakkam lake in the suburban landscape.

If you are a regular to E.F.I’s platforms, by now you know we write, talk, sing, dance, breathe LakesOfIndia. It’s also possible that you have volunteered with us at one of the lakes in your city. In this article with a photo story we are taking you to the Polambakkam lake near Melmaruvathur and the Ottiyambakkam lake near Siruseri IT park.

Polambakkam Lake: This large water body south of Chennai is a farm feeding tank part of a network. This lake benefits from a multidirectional inflow and outflow. It is a large grassland-wetland with Acacia and Palm dominating its foreshore and offshore region. The twist-turn and grand opening expanse adds unique characteristics to this lake. E.F.I with support from Brakes India and under the guidance of the Water Resources Department, Polambakkam Panchayat and the District administration of Chengalpet is focussing on reviving this water body. Deweeding and scrape silting efforts are currently underway. Larger efforts of deepening the lake, strengthening the embankments and many other restoration efforts are to be rolled out soon. The Polambakkam lake is expected to be restored by November 2024 in time for the monsoons. For now, here are the images of change from the rural green fields of Polambakkam.

The Ottiyambakkam lake just downstream an urban hillock which is today an abandoned quarry is one of the intermittent surface water bodies. An ox-bow lake part of a system currently witnessing massive urbanisation is in need of localised restoration. From establishing a definitive foreshore region, creating sedimentary and runoff wells, recharge pits, percolation trenches and fencing the outer edges, considerable work is to be rolled out in the next 90 days to protect this massive water spread. Here in images are the ambitious efforts since their humble beginning in early 2024.

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