BABY CANAL

Our team working on uphill task of restoring baby canal

supply channel to Red Hills from Cholavaram

Water released from Poondi reservoir reaches Cholavaram in two ways — through Kosasthalaiyar river and through supply channel, which was built during the British period. Hence, historically this canal plays a major role in maintaining water reservoir for Chennai city.

This canal was used to build storage in Cholavaram reservoir even if the water discharge through the river is stopped, and the reservoir continues to get some inflow.

This canal which was meant for water storage has been totally contaminated and dried, due to human behaviour like dumping garbage, industrial spillage, among various other factors.

So, SWoTT started cleaning the canal. A total of about 600 members worked towards this lake cleaning. With the help of many associates, celebrities (actor Dhamu), and several volunteers including school and college students, uphill task of restoring canal was initiated.

After tirelessly working for several weeks, team cleared mounds of domestic garbage from areas around the reservoir. And, almost 18 to 20 tonnes of garbage (which includes plastics, PET bottles, remains of meat (chicken, pig, cows), sewage sludge, industrial debris) was taken away which had severely clogged the canal.

This is one of the milestone achievements for SWoTT as far as lake cleaning is concerned. Without the efforts of all volunteers and associate members, the lake activity would not be possible. We are extremely thankful to all the friends who actively engaged for giving the re-birth of baby canal.

Before

Processing

After

Current

In future, we could expect more garbage to be dumped and spillage may occur once again at the same place by common residents. We should stop this act in order to preserve the canal, and to pay respect to all the workers who have worked tirelessly in restoring baby canal.