Ooty lake gets a clean up

Come summer, and a clean and clear Ooty lake is expected to be an added tourist attraction in Tamil Nadu.

This is the result of the environmental upgradation project of the Ooty lake that lasted 19 months, said S Balaji, director, department of environment, Government of Tamil Nadu, while addressing an 'Eco-petition: Write and Save the World Contest' organised by Henkel India for school children in Chennai.

Balaji said that cleaning up of the lake involved biomediation (bio-products used for cleaning the water), removing accumulated silt, removing weeds and stopping sewage water flowing in to Ooty lake.

Under the National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP), the lakes in Ooty and Kodaikanal have been undertaken for environmental upgradation at a total cost of Rs 6.8 crore.

The Government of India has sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore for Ooty lake and Rs 2 crore for Kodaikanal lake as its contribution towards the programme.

Work on the Kodaikanal lake, however, has been stopped due to a stay order passed by a court. The district administration is working towards getting the stay vacated, according to the information posted in the Tamil Nadu government website. So far, work valued at Rs 31.30 lakh has been completed in Kodaikanal lake.

The department is also currently implementing a centrally sponsored programme called 'Abatement of Pollution' in five polluted stretches of Cauvery in Tamil Nadu. The five stretches are Trichy, Erode, Bhavani, Kumarapallayam and Palliplayam at an overall project cost Rs 36.27crore since 1996-97. The project period is 10 years.

A sum of Rs 6.78 crore has been spent on the Cauvery project during the last three years through executing agencies. While 100 per cent of work in Trichy and in Erode have been completed, 70.72 per cent of work in Kumarapalayam has been completed, said the Tamil Nadu government website.

The eco-petition contest was aimed at creating social awareness and enhancing sensitivity on environmental care in children. Around 50 schools in Chennai participated in the contest.