The walls around the main bund of the Red Hills reservoir have been adorned with messages on environment conservation as well as with colourful pictures of flora and fauna. This initiative by the Water Resources Department is to create awareness against pollution. School students and volunteers of (SWOTT) -Social Work Team Trust, an organization based in Puzhal have painted messages on the need to conserve the waterbody that supplies water to Chennai and to protect its rich flora and fauna.
A green drive has also started around the lake and about 300 saplings have been planted so far. The target is to plant 1,000 saplings. Plans are on to create a butterfly park on the 2 acre site between the bund and the road.
There is a rich ecosystem which has around 50 species of birds including orange-headed ground thrush, grey wagtail, black drongo, blue-tailed bee-eater, white-breasted kingfisher, purple heron. little cormorant, little egret and pond heron on the fringe of the water body. The lake environment also has 43 species of butterflies. The ecosystem has wild plants that act as host and nectar yielding plants that support butterfly species. More nectar plants are being planted to nurture biodiversity.
