A major lake dying slowly

It is not in a position to hold water to its capacity

NAGERCOIL

Putheri, one of the major lakes in Kanniyakumari, is dying slowly. Encroachments, neglect, termination of agriculture in its command area in the wake of real estate development, release of untreated sewage and very recently filling of half the lake for laying a highway reduced the lake into a pale shadow of yesteryear.

“In its original capacity, it is capable of storing water in huge quantities. Water enters nearby residential areas because the lake is no longer in a position to hold water to its capacity,” said P. Kannan, the president of Putheri Panchayat.