Survey for eviction near Velachery lake stopped

HUNDREDS of residents from Jaganathapuram in Velachery staged a protest as officials from the Water Resources Department and Greater Chennai Corporation arrived on Friday to conduct a biometric survey to remove alleged encroachments on the Velachery lake.

- PRAVEENA S A

The survey was postponed to November 25 following the protest, residents said.

The lake, which once covered 265 acres, is now spread across just 55 acres. The reduction in size of the lake over the years due to encroachments has affected the lake's water-holding capacity, leading to frequent flooding in surrounding areas during rain. Officials have been conducting biometric enumeration over the past four days to identify suspected encroachers for the eviction drive which is intended to expand the lake and reinforce its bund.