CHENNAI: Heavy rains have caused lakes under the Water Resources Department (WRD) in Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts to fill up quickly. However, village ponds maintained by rural local bodies remain mostly dry, raising concerns among residents.

According to official data, out of 381 lakes in Kancheepuram, 62 have reached their full capacity, while 60 lakes have filled up to 76-99%. In Chengalpattu, which has 528 lakes, only 50 have reached full capacity so far.

Meanwhile, smaller ponds managed by local bodies, especially those covering less than 50 acres, are still under-filled. In Kancheepuram, out of 378 village ponds, only 4 are completely full, while over 160 are less than half filled.

Residents blame encroachments on water channels for blocking rainwater flow into these p

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