“நீர்இன்று அமையாது உலகெனின் யார்யார்க்கும்வான்
இன்று அமையாது ஒழுக்கு” – திருவள்ளுவர்

“Without water, the world cannot sustain,” said Tamil Saint Thiruvalluvar, emphasising on the importance of water in sustaining life. Historically, water bodies have led to the development of civilizations. And a region’s rich cultural, natural, and biological heritage has largely been dependent on its water resources. But today, the once revered water bodies are facing the brunt of urbanization, drastically shrinking in number.

India’s urban landscape hosts numerous examples of water bodies that have been degraded as a result of urban expansion and population growth. The Keezhkattalai lake, located towards the east of Pallavaram, is one such a lake. The lake was divided into northern and southern portions by a 200 ft road that intersects with the arterial GST road. This HHH of lakes is punching above its weight, tolerating the human inflicted chaos.

The Keezhkattalai story has had its own share of many twist and turns:
An E.F.I journey to save this lake that started in 2012 is still on 12 years later.

In 2013 when this lake restoration started, there came a band of ‘powerful’ encroachers who manhandled the E.F.I staff on field and stalled all efforts in desilting the lake. The work had to be abandoned. The gloom did not last long, the government of TamilNadu invested a large sum of money to spruce up the lake and the work took off briskly: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/restoration-of-keelkattalai-pallavaram-lakes-begins/article24069457.ece

All these efforts were still not enough, as the encroachment issue was still hanging in the balance. From extensive judicial intervention to repeated community engagement, every angle and stakeholder is still being worked upon to completely restore this lake.

The Keezhkattalai Timeline:
1. 2012 – E.F.I volunteers start cleaning the lake over weekends
2. 2013 – E.F.I’s Mechanized desilting of the lake commences, however is force stopped by encroachers
3. 2018 – Govt of TN spends a large amount of money in redoing and stone pitching the embankment of the lake
4. 2019 – E.F.I reapplies for permission to take up the lake for restoration, a legal procedure commences in identifying and evicting encroachments
5. 2020-2023: Govt of TN removes land encroachments part by part, boundary demarcation is established, however encroachers hold a firm claim sometimes even through violent means on ground.
6. 2023 – E.F.I is granted permission by the Tambaram Commissioner and Chengalpet district Collector for restoration of the Keezhkattalai lake
7. 2023 – Work commenced and is still progressing despite the regular challenges from encroachers. With funding support from FISERV and administrative permission from Government of TamilNadu.

Due to a lack of maintenance and accumulation of garbage over the years, the Keezhkattalai lake was fast detriorating. Invasive weeds such as Prosopis juliflora, Ipomea carnea, Eichornia and other thorny shrubs had grown rampantly in the northern and southern parts of the lake. This posed a serious threat to the lake’s delicate ecosystem. Recognising the need for intervention, E.F.I has taken up the task of restoring the Keezhkattalai lake.

A few before photos of the deteriorating lake:

The ongoing E.F.I restoration efforts:

• Deweeding efforts targeted the western periphery of the northern lake and the north-eastern and southern boundaries of the southern lake. Deweeding was carried out for a total of 6590 square meters in March 2024 to remove invasive vegetation. Subsequently, clearance efforts from April to June 2024 encompassed an additional 27923.3 square meters.
• Garbage Removal- Over time, construction debris and garbage dumped had piled up on both sections of the lakes. With the help of machinery, a total of 3.35 tonnes has been cleared with a large composition collected from the northern lake.
• Desilting- Excess silt deposits were found across the lake, resulting in an uneven lake bed. Silt deposition compromised the lake’s water storage capacity and hindered groundwater recharge. Therefore, desilting for a total area of 9,05,042 square meters was carried out at an average depth of 3.5 ft. The excavated silt was then repurposed to create embankments and nesting islands.
• Bund Construction- Embankments are crucial to define the lake’s boundary and enhance water storage. They help provide structural integrity to the lake and prevent soil erosion. To enhance the lake’s water-holding capacity, new embankments were constructed along the entire western periphery of the entire Keezhkattalai Lake. Bund construction for a length of 1120 meters was established.
• Nesting Islands- Nesting islands provide a safe haven for birds and other wildlife. By providing protected areas, nesting islands can significantly enhance the survival rate of birds. Two nesting islands have been established and three more will be constructed in the near future.
• Aerators- A mechanical device to pump the water into the atmosphere and enable oxygenation. This is done by water aeration, a process of maintaining or increasing oxygen saturation of water in both natural and artificial environments. Solar powered aerators have been placed in the Keezhkattalai Lake to address low oxygen levels and prevent algal blooms. The use of renewable energy acts as a sustainable method to address the issue of eutrophication in the Keezhkattalai Lake.

By addressing previous issues and incorporating new features, the Keezhkattalai Lake is transforming into a thriving ecosystem for all life forms to flourish. Through the implementation of scientific restoration activities, E.F.I constantly remains at the forefront in developing innovative strategies aimed at restoring and preserving our water bodies.

A few happy moments from the lake

Not just the regular restoration practices, turning Keezhkattalai into an urban public space embedded with ecological lessons is the current goal. From a first of its kind lake museum, to a walk through birds of Chennai display, Keezhkattalai is today Whatever to Water Forever.

Stay curious and volunteer with us to be a part of this collaborative conservation effort. For a starter volunteer for water at Keezhkattalai with E.F.I

Volunteer for India and her Environment with E.F.I.