Sewage discharge pollutes Velachery Lake; residents allege official apathy

What was once a quiet, life-giving stretch of Velachery Lake has become a choking conduit of sewage, leaving residents of Shastri Nagar in Adambakkam trapped in a daily struggle against stench, sickness and official apathy.

At the lake’s inlet near Kakkan Bridge, untreated sewage coursing through a storm water drain has steadily transformed the shoreline into a stagnant and toxic zone. Foul odours hang heavy in the air, groundwater has turned unusable, and mosquito-borne illnesses are on the rise — an unfolding public health crisis even as civic agencies continue to trade blame.

For families living along the inlet, the decline has been slow but relentless. Dense mats of water hyacinth now smother the lake’s surface, while thick sludge has settled at the mouth of the drain, sealing off what was once a clean and open flow of water.

Residents speak of a landscape they no longer recognise. “A few years ago, the water was clear and birds like herons and ducks were a common sight,” said K. Ramesh, who has lived in the area for more than a decade. “Now the smell of sewage never leaves, and stepping outside has become unbearable.”

The contamination has crept into homes as well. Borewell water, once relied upon for daily needs, has turned foul, forcing families to buy water at extra cost. Mosquitoes breed unchecked in the stagnant pools, and parents say children are falling ill with recurring fevers and skin infections.

“The drain was built to carry rainwater, but it has become a channel for sewage,” said V. Lakshmi, another resident. “We are paying for it with our health and our money.”

Locals say the problem worsened after the Greater Chennai Corporation constructed the storm water drain along City Link Road to ease monsoon flooding. While the project reduced inundation, residents allege that illegal sewage connections from neighbouring wards soon began emptying waste directly into the drain, affecting nearly 13 surrounding localities.

“There is sludge stretching for metres at the inlet, and the lake is completely choked with hyacinth,” said M. Pradeep of the residents’ welfare association. “The damage is visible to anyone who looks.”

The Water Resources Department, which maintains the lake, says it has spent around Rs 25 lakh clearing invasive vegetation and has repeatedly urged the Greater Chennai Corporation to disconnect illegal sewage lines. Civic officials, however, point to capacity constraints at the Depot 161 pumping station, while Metro Water authorities deny any overflow or diversion.

Caught between agencies shifting responsibility, residents say they continue to live amid pollution and uncertainty. Their demand is simple but urgent: coordinated action to halt the sewage inflow and restore Velachery Lake before the damage becomes irreversible.

With IANS inputs