Korattur lake, located in the Ambattur taluk of Chennai district, dates back to over 500 years. It once spanned 900 acres, but has since shrunk to 600 acres due to encroachments.
The lake is under the control of the water resources department.
There was a time when the Ambattur, Korattur and Retteri lakes served as sources of drinking water for the people of Chennai.
During the monsoon season, surplus water from Ambattur lake would flow through Korattur lake and Retteri to eventually reach Red Hills lake. However, officials have stated that in recent years, the water in these three lakes have become heavily polluted and cannot be used for drinking purposes.
Although these three lakes cannot be used as sources of drinking water, and despite spending crores of rupees years ago to transform them into tourist attractions, work remains incomplete to this day.
During the monsoon season, surplus water from Ambattur lake flows into Korattur lake via the Ambattur Industrial Estate, carrying industrial effluents; this is compounded by the inflow of domestic sewage.
To make matters even worse, the Corporation also discharges large quantities of sewage into the lake during the rainy season.
Consequently, chemical waste is frequently seen floating on the water, contaminating the well water in nearby homes. Despite repeated protests and petitions submitted by the locals to the authorities, no action has been taken so far.
Despite the National Green Tribunal’s directive prohibiting the discharge of sewage into the lake, wastewater continues to be released.
Further, due to the present lack of adequate rainfall, Korattur lake is drying up rapidly, causing fish to die and float on the surface.
Kumar, a resident living near the lake, expressing his distress, said, “I have lived here for many years and it is painful to see the lake dry up and become polluted. Although it is nice to see flocks of birds arriving daily in search of food, they end up eating fish from the contaminated water.”
Many people take walks here every morning and evening but empty alcohol bottles are strewn around by anti-social elements and have suffered bruises on the feet.
Furthermore, as the area attracts numerous birds, these anti-social elements hunt them. Local residents rescue the injured birds and hand them over to the forest department.
Representatives of the Korattur Lake Protection People’s Movement said around 2012, Korattur lake was found to be heavily polluted. Information regarding this was gathered through the Right to Information Act, and a case was filed with the National Green Tribunal in 2016.
During the proceedings, an injunction was issued prohibiting the discharge of sewage and industrial waste into the lake, and the injunction remains in force.
However, Chennai Corporation continues to discharge sewage into the lake through stormwater drains.
A total of 154 bird species have been identified at the site, including 53 migratory species; notably, birds from Europe, Asia and Africa. So, the Korattur Lake Protection People’s Movement has demanded that Korattur lake be declared a protected, ecological bird sanctuary.
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