Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai   

RWH benefits Kathangollai pond in Guindy Park

By P.Oppili

CHENNAI SEPT. 20. Thanks to the rainwater harvesting, the Kathangollai pond in the Guindy National Park is now filled with water after nearly five years.

With the desiltation of the pond and arresting of water run off from the Raj Bhavan area, the tank has a good quantity of water, say the authorities.

According to forest officials, the pond received some water earlier whenever it rained. But, the forest guards, who noticed the rainwater getting drained into the sewer lines in Velachery area, suggested that the water could be arrested by constructing a bund on the western side of the polo ground for diversion into Kathangollai. After constructing the bund, the existing channels to the pond were also desilted.

A total of 1,500 cubic metres of earth was desilted at Kathangollai, said the Chennai Wildlife Warden, K.S.S.V.P. Reddy.

Earlier whenever it rained, nearly 70 per cent of the water used to get drained. But, with the arresting of rainwater, 70 per cent of the water had now got collected in the pond, he said.

Palmyra tree branches were spread on the bund and grasses grown to strengthen it. Moreover it would also prevent formation of rills and gullies on the earthen bund, Mr Reddy said. The dried palmyra leaves would also prevent direct impact of the rain. A suggestion to this effect was made by the Chief Wildlife Warden, Sukhdev.

With the water level increasing, it would surely benefit black buck (one of the endangered deer species), spotted deer, mongoose, hare, and the small jackal population in the park.

Even in the Children's Park campus also the authorities had taken up water harvesting. A total of 33 contour bunds were created. The contour bunds were strengthened with turf.

With the introduction of water harvesting system, the ground wells and borewells would also get recharged.

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