Chennai: A freshwater pond two decades ago, Mangani Kuttai today has little resemblance to a waterbody. The 1.4-acre pond on the Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road, located barely 3km from Pallavaram Periya Eri, has been reduced by road expansion, dumping and encroachment, with its remaining portion now being used to accommodate solid waste management workers.Around 30% of the original waterbody was acquired during the widening of the radial road in 2020. The portion had earlier been encroached upon by a waste segregation facility, which was removed to facilitate the road work. Residents say that the remaining pond area could have been retained and restored as a small pond. Instead, the site was used as a mini dump yard by the Tambaram corporation.After solid waste management was privatised around three years ago, at least 15 sanitary workers engaged by the contractor have been accommodated at the site with electricity connections. The low-lying area lacks adequate sanitation and basic hygiene facilities. During even light rain, water tends to stagnate inside the premises, raising concerns over the living conditions of the workers and the continued degradation of the waterbody.The issue has also renewed concerns over the condition of smaller waterbodies in Tambaram.“The corporation has around 35 water bodies, including lakes and ponds, but activists said only a few have seen restoration efforts in recent years. Several smaller ponds have either been encroached upon for commercial activity or have deteriorated without proper restoration,” said S Kumar, a member of United residents welfare association, Tambaram.Resident-activist David Manohar said the corporation had failed to protect the waterbody and its connecting channels. “The corporation has become lethargic. The channels of Pallavaram Periya Eri, which connects the chain of lakes along the radial road, have shrunk due to unchecked encroachment by the corporation. Necessary action should be taken at the earliest,” he said.Tambaram corporation commissioner S Balachander said, “The private contractor will be notified about the issue and the hawkers will be relocated to a different place from the waterbody. Necessary actions will be taken at the earliest.”
