Farmers push to revive Salem’s dying Panamarathupatti Lake

Farmers and water conservation activists are renewing their call to breathe life into Panamarathupatti Lake, the once-thriving waterbody near Salem in Tamil Nadu that has remained largely dry for nearly two decades.

Spread across nearly 2,140 acres and cradled by hills on three sides, the lake was once a vital source of drinking water for Salem city and Rasipuram. Its prolonged decline, however, has cast a long shadow over groundwater levels and farming in the surrounding region.

Farmers are now urging authorities to explore the possibility of bringing surplus Cauvery water from the Mettur system to the parched lake, while clearing the invasive Seemai Karuvelam trees and encroachments that have choked natural water channels.

They say the lake is more than a vast expanse of dry land — it is a crucial link in the region’s hydrological network, connected to several smaller lakes and waterways. Its revival, they believe, could recharge groundwater, strengthen irrigation and benefit nearly 10 villages in the surrounding belt.

Farmers have suggested studying the existing surplus-water project that pumps water from the Poolampatti region to assess whether its alignment and infrastructure could potentially be extended towards Panamarathupatti Lake.

For activists, however, the first step is to clear the lake itself. Vast stretches of the lakebed have been swallowed by invasive vegetation, while encroachments have obstructed channels that once carried water into the reservoir.

Clearing work began in parts of the lake earlier this year but came to a halt after the contractor’s tender period expired. Though some sections were cleared, thick vegetation continues to blanket large portions of the waterbody, eating into its storage capacity and hampering natural inflows.

Activists have urged the Salem City Municipal Corporation, which controls the lake, to restart the clearing operation and draw up a comprehensive restoration plan. They have also called for an assessment of the lakebed to determine how its water-holding capacity can be improved.

Given the lake’s relatively elevated location, authorities could also examine the feasibility of pumping water into it as part of a larger revival strategy.

Corporation officials said restoration work had been taken up through a tender in February, but the contractor withdrew after the contract period ended. A fresh tender is now being prepared, they said.

Officials added that removing Seemai Karuvelam trees would be the immediate priority, while the long-standing proposal to bring surplus Mettur water would be examined as restoration work moves forward.

For farmers, the revival of Panamarathupatti Lake is not merely about restoring an old waterbody. It is a bid to reclaim a lost lifeline — one that could replenish underground reserves, revive irrigation and bring new hope to villages that have watched the lake wither for years.

With IANS inputs