NGT Orders Cleanup of Veeraraghavan Lake in Tamil Nadu

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Tambaram Corporation and the Water Resources Department in Tamil Nadu to clear water hyacinth from the polluted Veeraraghavan Lake in Thiruneermalai within six months. A resident had raised concerns about untreated sewage being discharged into stormwater drains that ultimately reach the lake, causing pollution and health hazards.

The Tambaram Corporation stated that they had issued show-cause notices to encroachers in the area under the Tamil Nadu Protection of Tanks and Eviction of Encroachment Act, 2007, but some residents contested the notices, claiming they had lived there for over 50 years and paid taxes regularly.