
Let there be water: Restoration of Koliyanur lake in Tamil Nadu
VILLUPURAM: The dust of decades had settled thick upon the promise of Koliyanur lake, a vital artery choked by neglect and the relentless creep of encroachment. For a generation, its lifeblood had dwindled, a silent tragedy unfolding in the Villupuram district. But from the parched earth, a spark ignited – the Kalaam Volunteer Group.
This unassuming collective of residents dared to dream of reviving it, a vision that would not only reshape their environment but also bind their community in the face of nature's fury. Their story, unfolding over the past year, is a testament to the extraordinary power of ordinary people, a beacon of hope that pierced through the devastation of Cyclone Fengal and resurrected a lost lifeline.
Koliyanur lake, stretching across hundreds of acres, had been encroached upon by 57 farming families in the Koliyanur village area for more than three decades. Once a crucial source of irrigation and drinking water, the lake had slowly shrunk by half due to unregulated occupation and sediment build-up.
Recognising the ecological and communal importance of the loch, the Kalaam Volunteer Group, in collaboration with Exnora International Foundation, NDSO, and M N Gayathri Charities, initiated a restoration project in 2024. 'As a resident of Koliyanur, I've never seen the river with water since I was a child, and it has been a dream to see it flow with water in its natural allure. And that is why I chose to revive it,' said N Manikandan (32), the group's full-time organiser.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time Out
3 minutes ago
- Time Out
Look up! An unusually high full moon will shine above Melbourne this week
The start of winter was action-packed up in the skies above Victoria, with a spectacular light display by nature (the Aurora Australis) sparkling over the state on the very first day of the season. Now, we'll be treated to another celestial sight, with this month's Strawberry Moon set to be the highest full moon over Australia since 2006. Here's how you can catch the final full moon before the winter solstice in June. When is the Strawberry Moon in Victoria 2025? The Strawberry Moon will reach its full peak on Wednesday, June 11 at 5.43pm, Melbourne time. While it technically peaks in the early evening, we expect viewing will be best after sunset – so rug up, head outside and admire the bright glow of the moon late into the night. You can find the exact time the full moon will peak where you live here. What is a Strawberry Moon? A Strawberry Moon is the name given to the full moon that happens in June each year. Despite the name, the moon doesn't actually glow pink or red. The name originates from Native American traditions, where the June full moon signalled the start of wild strawberry harvest season in parts of North America. The 2025 Strawberry Moon is getting extra attention thanks to a rare astronomical event called the major lunar standstill. This event happens once every 18.6 years and causes the moonrise and moonset to occur at the most extreme northern and southernmost points. In the Northern Hemisphere, the moon will appear unusually close to the horizon over the day/evening, marking the lowest-hanging moon since 2006. Down here in the Southern Hemisphere, it's the opposite. We'll witness the highest full moon of the year, which means it'll be furthest from the horizon and closest to the zenith (that's the 'highest' point in the sky directly overhead). The next major lunar standstill will only happen in 2024. How to see the June full moon from Melbourne Although it's the highest full moon in almost two decades, the Strawberry Moon should still be visible to the naked eye – so long as there are clear skies. We suggest finding a place far away from the city lights, as the darker the area you are viewing it from, the better. You can use our handy guide to the best spots for stargazing spots in Melbourne. When is the next full moon in Australia? Four local trails have been named among Australia's best winter hikes


Hindustan Times
3 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Sourav Ganguly fires shots at Agarkar, BCCI for dropping Shreyas Iyer from India squad: 'Not a player to be left out'
Sourav Ganguly was one of the biggest advocates of Ajit Agarkar when he was the captain of Team India and even the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Agarkar has dished out memorable performances in Ganguly's captaincy but none more special than his six-wicket haul in Adelaide to help India register a famous win against Australia in 2003. So fond was Ganguly of Agarkar that he didn't consider his KKR team to be at full strength till Agarkar was injured. This was more than a year after Agarkar played his last international match. Cut to 2025, there is nothing to suggest a crack in the Ganguly-Agarkar relationship but the former India captain surely did not shy away from pointing fingers at the Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee for leaving out Shreyas Iyer from India's Test squad for the England tour. Iyer, who was a part of India's middle-order the last time they toured England, drifted away from the Test side due to his struggles against the short-pitched deliveries. The right-hander, however, made a strong statement by scoring heavily in ODIs, returning as one of India's top run-scorers in both the World Cup in 20243 and the Champions Trophy in 2025. Iyer maintained his upward surge with a productive domestic season in all formats for Mumbai. In between, Iyer won the IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and then led Punjab Kings to their first IPL final in 11 years. The 30-year-old scored 604 runs in 17 matches in the IPL this year. His strike rate of 175 was by far the most by any batter in the top 10 of the Orange Cap list this year. Agarkar and his selection committee, however, did not pick Iyer in India's Test squad. Reports suggested that there wasn't a lot of discussion about Iyer as the selectors and the team management thought Iyer had a lot to work on when it comes to red-ball cricket. Ganguly said Iyer should have been in England simply because of his current form in all formats. 'He has been playing at his best in the last one year, and should have been in this team. Last one year has been fantastic for him. He isn't the player who got left out. He is now scoring under pressure, taking responsibility, playing the short ball well. Although Test cricket's different, I would have had him in this series to see what he can do," Ganguly told RevSportz. The former BCCI secretary saw Iyer closely when he was the Director of Cricket at the Delhi Capitals. Iyer is currently leading theMumbai Falcons in the Mumbai League 2025, where the team has already reached the finals of the tournament. In Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's absence, the heavy lifting of the middle-order batting will have to be done by new captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant. There is a possibility that both Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair might get a look in the XI unless India decide to play a seam-bowling all-rounder in Shardul Thakur or Nitish Kumar Reddy. When asked if he is giving India a chance going into the series, Ganguly said, 'Yes, sure. We just need two things, batting well and [Jasprit] Bumrah remaining fit. We won in Australia, in Melbourne (2020-21), with a young batting line-up, having no [Virat] Kohli, no Rohit Sharma. So, I do not see why we cannot win.' The five-match Test series starts on June 20 at Leeds.


BBC News
3 minutes ago
- BBC News
Rodborough Fields campaigners raise £200k to buy green space
A preservation group has successfully bid to buy a meadow and woodland for the public after raising £200,000. Rodborough Fields Preservation Group (RFPG) said it will set aside the 9.42-acre (3.8 hectares) site bordering the River Frome in Rodborough, Gloucestershire, for recreational the success of an informal tender submitted on 1 April for Lot 1 north of Arundel Drive, a three-year business plan is now being prepared. The preservation group said further funds will be required to help provide community access and boost the biodiversity of the area. A RFPG spokesperson said: "We still need additional donations to avoid carrying too much debt into the purchase, and to cover additional costs of buying and owning the fields."With limited resources we concentrated our bid on Lot 1 at this stage, but we will seek to cooperate with the owners of (adjoining) Lot 2 which is protected as part of the Cotswolds National Landscape."The bid was submitted by Stroud Common Wealth Community Benefit Society, which will transfer the land to RFPG once the preservation group is registered as a charity."We'd like to thank everyone who's backed the campaign so far, and invite everyone to get involved," added the spokesperson.