Chennai’s last lung space: Nanmangalam Lake faces an ecological emergency.
Contaminated by sewage, garbage and illegal water extraction, Nanmangalam Lake has become a prime example of a mismanaged waterbody.
Catching a glimpse of the Indian Eagle Owl is not a rarity for birders and nature enthusiasts who frequent the Nanmangalam Lake and the surrounding forests. Yet, this privilege is under threat as the lake’s once-thriving ecosystem faces severe environmental degradation.
Fed by rainwater from the hillocks of the Nanmangalam Reserve Forest, the lake — spread over 200 acres — is now ravaged by encroachments, illegal water extraction, sewage and garbage disposal.
