1. LAKE CLEANUP
RETTERI LAKE

2. Rotary club of Industrial City along with Rotaract club of Women's Christian College.
Date:
Venue: Retteri junction
Rotarian present: Rtn Rajasekar
Rotaractors present: Rtr Sathya, Rtr Sandhiya, Rtr Kalaivani.
Places visited: Retteri lake (from vinayagapuram to retteri junction)

3. The visiting team

4. About the lake
The ‘Rettai eri’ lake, commonly known as Retteri is located on the Grand Northern Trunk and is spread over an area of 400 acres. It begins near the GNT road in the south and extends far beyond the Guntur-Chennai highway in the north.

5. A view of the lake from the RETTERI junction

6. Primary issues Identified
The primary source of pollution is the disposal of domestic wastes including sewage into the lake.
Another factor limiting the productiveness of the lake is the growth of water hyacinths, which is spread over a large area of the water surface.
Other source by which the water is being polluted is, fish culturist letting in the waste water into the lake.

7. Sewage water that is drained into the lake

8. Water hyacinths covering the entire surface of the lake

9. Secondary issues identified
Due to the lack of public toilets in this area the local residents use the lake for elimination and bathing purposes.
Due to the lack of street lights around the lake it has become a safe den for drinkers making it a high risk zone for the passersby.
Due to the lack of supervision in the inner areas, water is used for cleaning animals, further polluting the lake.

10. Local residents bathing in the lake

11. Liquor bottles thrown around the lake

12. Animals being bathed in the lake

13. Government actions
Government has taken actions 2 years back to renovate the lake, as a part of which they removed the water hyacinths and de-silted the lake but due to the lack of proper supervision it hasn’t been maintained.
Few months back the government proposed to convert it into a boating spot as a part of which they constructed pathways on one side of the lake but this has now been left incomplete.

14. The pathway constructed at one end of the lake

15. Possible solutions
De-silting and deepening of the lake to increase its storage capacity and to make it an efficient reservoir.
Constructing public toilets to prevent people from defecating in and around the lake.
Eliminating the water hyacinth present on the lake and ensuring regular cleanups to prevent their growth.
Setting up street lamps around the lake to make it a safer place.
Proper fencing around the lake will make the locals feel secure.

16. THANK YOU