Unfold over 19 acres, the Otteri lake was in-built 1904 to offer an everyday water provide to British troops stationed inside Vellore fort. , Picture Credit score: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Rejuvenation of Otteri lake, a British-era man-made facility, on the outskirts of Vellore Company, has helped the waterbody to succeed in its full storage capability on Saturday because the 2021 floods.
Officers of Vellore Company, which maintains the waterbody, mentioned that common rain in catchment areas like Palamathi, Kolavimedu and Naickaneri tribal hamlets at Jawadhu Hills in October has regularly elevated water stage within the lake.
“Water from the lake can be drawn to fulfill the water wants of residents inside civic physique limits. The total capability of the lake additionally helps to recharge groundwater in its surrounding,” mentioned R. Lakshman, Commissioner, Vellore Company.
Unfold over 19 acres, the Otteri lake was in-built 1904 to offer an everyday water provide to British troops stationed inside Vellore fort. Pipelines and Over Head Tanks (OHTs) have been constructed to provide water from the lake to officers’ quarters contained in the spacious fort advanced.
The lake has a complete storage capability of 19 MLD (hundreds of thousands of liters per day). “Water within the lake can be used to irrigate farmlands within the surrounding villages. Residents additionally drill borewells close to the lake to attract water for home use,” mentioned Okay. Raman, a farmer.
Company officers mentioned that, as a part of rejuvenation, accrued silt deposits within the lake have been eliminated. On a median, round 45 centimeters of silt will get deposited within the lake space yearly.
Many of the silt deposits are dry vegetation, animal wastes and grit from the hills which are washed throughout rains. Collected silt was eliminated for storage of extra rainwater within the lake, which was rejuvenated a few years in the past.
Throughout monsoon, extra rainwater from the lake will get discharged into the stormwater drains and a moat within the fort. Thereafter, water flows into Nicholson channel earlier than discharging into Palar river, off Chennai-Bengaluru Freeway (NH-48).
Company officers mentioned that the city has been witnessing good rainfall for the previous a number of weeks because the 2021 floods. With the restoration by the civic physique, the lake is ready to retailer extra rainwater to its full storage capability.
Of the full 24 borewells across the lake maintained by the Company, earlier, water was drawn solely from 11 borewells on account of low groundwater stage. Rejuvenation of the lake has helped the civic physique to attract water from many of the bore wells across the lake, officers mentioned.
At present, the full water demand of the civic physique is 80 MLD per day. Family water consumption inside Company limits is met by TWAD.
Revealed – November 16, 2025 05:41 am IST