Chennai: A renowned Hindu saint’s birthday was celebrated to bring to life, an ecologically significant pond. Rather than filling the 1,000th birth anniversary of Ramanujar, with cultural events, an environmental organisation roped in the locals from a hamlet in Kancheepuram to restore a dying pond.
Setting an example for the water body conservation model, the Ramanujar temple pond at Sevilimedu village of Kancheepuram district was restored by the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI).
The 2.5-acred pond was de-silted and deepened, the move that would stabilise the ground water table at the once fresh water pond. To the surprise of the residents, the filthy, stagnated waters of the pond saw clear waters, a scene that was witnessed after two decades.
The restoration started off with the removal of non-biodegradable and invasive weeds and later deepening it up to 2 feet.
“The silt is being used to lay bunds around the pond and constructing a rectangular trench to increase the water holding capacity,” said Guru Saravanan, an EFI executive, adding that there are abundant chances for the revival of flora and fauna. The efforts put in by EFI have borne fruit as one can witness a colour change from sluggish brown to clear green.
“Locals stopped depending on the pond water after it became carrier of waterborne diseases long back. The revival will help in temperature regulation and ground water percolation, facilitating the sustenance of flora and fauna as well as human needs,” said S. Srinivasan, a long-time resident.
