Rejuvenation of Otteri lake, around six km from city limits towards Arani, would be taken up by the Vellore Corporation once the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha elections ends. The Vellore Corporation will take up rejuvenation of the Otteri lake, around six kilometres from city limits towards Arani, once the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha election ends.
Built by the British in 1904 and spread over 19 acres, the man-made lake has a total storage capacity of 19 MLD (million liters per day). The lake draws its water from nearby hills like Palamathi, Kolavimedu, and Naickaneri, which are part of Jawadhu Hills. Excess rainwater from the lake during the monsoon flows to the Vellore Fort’s moat through the Nicholson channel and then onwards to the Surya Kulam before joining Palar river.
“A detailed Project Report (DPR) has been readied for complete rejuvenation of the lake and its park to make it a permanent water source and a recreational facility. Work will begin soon,” a senior Corporation official told The Hindu.
Accompanied by Corporation Commissioner, P. Janaki Raveendran, and S. Nithiyanantham, Executive Engineer (EE), TWAD (Vellore), Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi inspected the existing Over Head Tanks (OHTs) and park in the lake, which comes under ward 37 of Zone-3 within civic body limits.
During summer, the lake remains bone dry, forcing Corporation officials to depend on other reliable water sources like Palar river and TWAD to meet its water needs.
Corporation officials said rejuvenation of the lake will help to increase its total storage capacity. It will also help to recharge ground water at least around two kilometres radius of the lake. Water from the lake can also be drawn to irrigate over 550 hectares of farmland in its vicinity.
Of a total 24 borewells around the lake maintained by the Corporation, water was drawn only from 11 borewells due to low groundwater level in the lake. It means that the lake’s total water contribution to the Corporation is only one MLD as against the total water demand of the civic body of 80 MLD per day. Rejuvenation of the lake is to bridge the gap between demand and supply.
Corporation officials said that the lake, on an average, accumulates silt deposits of at least 30 centimeters thickness every year. Most of the silt deposits are dry vegetation, animal wastes and grit from the hills that are washed during rains. Accumulated silt should be removed for storage of excess rainwater in the lake, which was rejuvenated many years ago.
