The Coimbatore Division of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has agreed to reconstruct a gabion structure on the sides of one of the streams of River Kousika situated in Kurudi Hills in the District.
The Gabion structure at Gudalur Panchayat in Periyanaickenpalayam Range was constructed in the year 2012 at a cost of Rs. 50,000 jointly by the Forest Department and Department of Agricultural Engineering (AED), to block the artificial diversion of the stream from Kurudi Hills towards nearby villages on the left side.
The construction was then carried out by officials after representatives of the Athikadavu Kousika River Development Association (AKDRA) complained of the illegal diversion of the stream through a petition to the then District Forest Officer Thirunavukkarasu.
The natural flow of the stream was down the hill and in order to divert water to their village, some villagers had allegedly diverted the stream at a small collecting spot almost 300 meters inside the reserve at 600 meters above Mean Sea Level.
The Gabion wall made of rocks tied with steel wires was meant to stop the diversion and allow the free passage of the stream. However, the structured had once again been broken to divert the water some years back.
P.K. Selvaraj, Secretary of AKDRA claimed that the diversion, despite providing a perennial water resource to nearby villages in the diverted path, would bring a drought situation to the people on the bunds of natural stream.
“The River is an important water source for seven lakh people spread over a stretch of over 40 Kilo Meters. If its natural path is blocked, this would mean that seven lakh people would lose access to drinking water,” he said.
In order to reassign the situation back to its natural form, a team of officials including District Forest Officer S. Ramasubramaniam, Superintendent Engineer of AED P. Jeevanandan, G. Mohan Raj Samuel, Deputy Director of AED and PA to District Collector for Agriculture along with other officials inspected the spot. Members of AKDRA including P.K. Selvaraj and K.K. Kathiravan from Coimbatore Rotary were also there.
After the inspection, officials have assured that the gabion structure would be remade so as to allow the natural flow of the stream.
“We would prepare a report and send it to the District Administration. We would be completing the work within a week,” said DFO Ramasubramaniam. He further added that monthly checking would also be carried out by Forest Department personnel to keep the structure in its pristine form and void of human disturbance.
Meanwhile, officials have also assured to clear out plastic wastes on the river bed in Gudalur Panchayat and also make an alternate road to the Old Kaattu Bannariamman Temple. People were using the dried up river bed as a road to reach the temple.
The River is also blocked by mud road near the temple and a proposal to make the road lower to allow water flow is also given.
The Gabion structure at Gudalur Panchayat in Periyanaickenpalayam Range was constructed in the year 2012 at a cost of Rs. 50,000 jointly by the Forest Department and Department of Agricultural Engineering (AED), to block the artificial diversion of the stream from Kurudi Hills towards nearby villages on the left side.
The construction was then carried out by officials after representatives of the Athikadavu Kousika River Development Association (AKDRA) complained of the illegal diversion of the stream through a petition to the then District Forest Officer Thirunavukkarasu.
The natural flow of the stream was down the hill and in order to divert water to their village, some villagers had allegedly diverted the stream at a small collecting spot almost 300 meters inside the reserve at 600 meters above Mean Sea Level.
The Gabion wall made of rocks tied with steel wires was meant to stop the diversion and allow the free passage of the stream. However, the structured had once again been broken to divert the water some years back.
P.K. Selvaraj, Secretary of AKDRA claimed that the diversion, despite providing a perennial water resource to nearby villages in the diverted path, would bring a drought situation to the people on the bunds of natural stream.
“The River is an important water source for seven lakh people spread over a stretch of over 40 Kilo Meters. If its natural path is blocked, this would mean that seven lakh people would lose access to drinking water,” he said.
In order to reassign the situation back to its natural form, a team of officials including District Forest Officer S. Ramasubramaniam, Superintendent Engineer of AED P. Jeevanandan, G. Mohan Raj Samuel, Deputy Director of AED and PA to District Collector for Agriculture along with other officials inspected the spot. Members of AKDRA including P.K. Selvaraj and K.K. Kathiravan from Coimbatore Rotary were also there.
After the inspection, officials have assured that the gabion structure would be remade so as to allow the natural flow of the stream.
“We would prepare a report and send it to the District Administration. We would be completing the work within a week,” said DFO Ramasubramaniam. He further added that monthly checking would also be carried out by Forest Department personnel to keep the structure in its pristine form and void of human disturbance.
Meanwhile, officials have also assured to clear out plastic wastes on the river bed in Gudalur Panchayat and also make an alternate road to the Old Kaattu Bannariamman Temple. People were using the dried up river bed as a road to reach the temple.
The River is also blocked by mud road near the temple and a proposal to make the road lower to allow water flow is also given.