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Residents of Madambakkam on the southern outskirts of greater Chennai have been complaining about the poor sanitation and hygiene in the area.

Adding to their woes, the once sprawling Madambakkam Lake has now shrunk because of encroachments and the local body is eating into the bunds by dumping hazardous waste.

Despite several representations, local panchayat officials have failed to protect the Madambakam Lake and they have not kep their promises to protect the water body for years, alleged a local.

“The town panchayat has been dumping garbage on the lake bed causing irreparable damage to the lake and the groundwater table,” complained Lt Col C.R. Sundar, a resident of the area.

“People have illegally constructed buildings by the lake bed with the help of mafia who are linked with local officials,” he alleged.

“The need of the hour is to protect the water body that supplements the groundwater table benefiting two lakh residents,” said Mr Thomas, another resident. When asked about the pollution in the lake,

Mr Kesavan, executive officer (EO), Madambakkam Town Panchayat, said, “Earlier garbage was being dumped on the lake bed owing to shortage of land.

It is now being dumped at a different site allotted to us by the Public Works Department (PWD).” Responding to a query on unchecked encroachments, the official said that the issue had been brought to the notice of the Kancheepuram collector, who had instructed officials of the concerned departments to act against illegal encroachment in the state as per the directions of the Supreme Court. Legal procedures were being followed and soon action would be taken, the official said.

-dc chn