Polambakkam Lake a large water body that is both a thangal and a lake (eri), which feeds hundreds of acres of farm fields and supports plethora of wildlife species in the district of Chengalpattu.

Situated 95 kms south to the capital city of Chennai, the Polambakkam Lake spreads across an area of about 175 acres. As part of an interconnected lake system, the Polambakkam lake is a crucial water body that interconnect with many other lakes.

Due to negligence and poor maintenance the Polambakkam Lake was in a deteriorated state due to excessive silt deposit and a lack of definitive boundary, encroachments in its foreshore region, heavily infested with invasive plant species such as Prosopis juliflora, Ipomea carnea, and other thorny shrubs.

The inlet channel, which is crucial for supplying water to the lake, faced encroachment threats. Additionally, elevated roads and buildings constructed on the foreshore obstructed surface water runoff from flowing into the lake’s deeper areas.

E.F.I with support from Brakes India Limited
and The Government of Tamil Nadu undertook a comprehensive restoration effort.

De-weeding

Desilting

Construction of
Nesting Islands, Recharge Pit and Embankments

The Polambakkam Lake is just half-way through its journey in becoming a water paradise with on going restoration efforts such as

– Percolation Trenches
– Foreshore Break Bund System
– Inlet Regulation
– Native Tree Plantation

Stay tune for more updates from Polambakkam Lake.

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