http://ecoheritage.cpreec.org/ lists out 50 sacred water bodies in and around Chennai. One among them is Kapali Theertham, The website quotes the present status of the tank as ” The inlet and outlet are obstructed permanently due to construction.”

The situation has changed now and the Mylapore residents have reason to cheer about.

Good rain during the North East Monsoon and the Metro Water’s decision to supply water to the tank has helped improved the ground water recharge. The steps of Mylapore tank is crowded these days. Filled with water, it has now become a tourist attraction too with people from different parts of the city visiting the place.


Mylapore MLA S Ve Shekher, said, ‘when the tank was desilted a few years ago, the clay soil at the bottom was completely removed. As a result, the groundwater level went down. Efforts will be taken to deposit clay soil in the tank soon.

The MLA also requested the people to co-operate with the temple authorities over catching the abundant fish in the tank and not to protest over the issue. ‘Since the fish in the Kapali tank can thrive only when the water is abundant, the authorities would catch them and hand it over to the Fisheries Department and replace them with a variety of fish that commonly thrive in temple tanks’.

(with inputs from “The Hindu” and “News Today”. Photos taken some time in January 2006)