MADURAI: Doctors in Theni on Friday launched a drive to find a cure for the water shortage problem in the town by desilting one of the important water bodies there -- the Chinnakulam.They began cleaning the Chinnakulam tank in the presence of district collector N Venkatachalam.Spread over 32 acres, the Chinnakulam once used to receive water from a stream flowing from the Western Ghats, and the excess of water used flow to the Neersamuthiram, another bigger tank that spreads over 50 acres.The Chinnakulam and the Neersamuthiram used to be important sources of ground water in Theni and Allinagaram towns, situated side-by-side. Over the period, the Chinnakulam tank has become pool of sewage with water hyacinths.Due to encroachments, the stream dried up. Residents started releasing sewage water and dump garbage in the tank. The tank is full of water hyacinths and perfect grounds for mosquito breeding.Taking note of the situation, the doctors have pooled in money along with Allinagaram village panchayat committee to clean and de-silt the tank. With the help of the district rural development agency and the public works department and district administration, they started clearing water hyacinths and raising the bunds.They are also planning to divert the sewage flowing to the tank and construct toilets for local people so that they stop using the tank to relieve themselves.After de-silting the tank, they are going to make small islets inside the tank so that trees could be grown and birds could nest there.“We are planning to bring back the eco-system of tank where bird droppings enrich water, and fish will take care of mosquito larvae”, said Dr C P Rajkumar, a physician who runs Vanam (Vaigai Association for Nature Resources and Mountain Ranges), a wildlife NGO.