Rajakilpakkam lake shrinks and chokes under sewage and encroachments | Chennai News

Chennai: Once a vital ecosystem that served Sembakkam municipality with its 100-plus acres of freshwater, Rajakilpakkam lake has now shrunk in size to less than 30 acres. With no funds allocated for lake rejuvenation, the lake is choked by water hyacinths, sewage, and encroachments. Residents point to continuous inflows of untreated sewage that have obliterated aquatic life and transformed a thriving habitat into a stagnant cesspool. On Saturday, dense mats of water hyacinth smothered the surface, a foul stench permeated the air, and heaps of meat and vegetable waste littered the bunds. At least 15 houses squatted on the lake bed, while around 10 pigs foraged amid the filth.Tambaram corporation manages more than 35 such water bodies, but Rajakilpakkam is among the worst-hit, TOI visits showed. In 2021, a public works department (PWD) inspection documented 960 illegal structures in and around the lake. Since then, encroachments have proliferated.“Most of the hawkers encroaching on the lake are shielded by politicians,” said T Kumaresan, secretary of Sathya Sai Nagar residents’ welfare association. “The lake falls under corporation limits, but over the last five years, maintenance has been handled by the water resources department (WRD). In this period, we have seen it go from bad to worse,” he said.The lake’s natural surplus channel has been destroyed by encroachments, he added. “PWD officials earlier said funds would be allocated to construct a cut-and-cover drain in its place at a cost of 8.5 crore. No drain has come up, and the problems remain.”WRD executive engineer R Arunmozhi said no funds have been allocated yet for restoring the lake. “We have identified some lakes for restoration along with Tambaram corporation and CMDA. The assessment is still in the early stage, and a decision is expected by June,” he said.