Following a Simplicity news article that reported about an intentional blockage in the Valankulam tank in the city corporation officials on Saturday removed the sand packs that were blocking the water flow in the lake.
Even as the water level in most of the lakes in the city is rising rapidly owing to the abundant rainfall during the monsoon season, some men had blocked the passage for water in the lake here on Tuesday.
The men had used sand packs to block the passage of water from the Western side of the lake from entering the Eastern side and as many as 50 packets of sand had been stocked up beneath the small bridge on the connecting Road to the Ukkadam - Sungam By pass Road.
It was suspected that fishermen who feared that the fish lings might get washed away could have indulged in such activities. Sourced claimed that the fishermen who had invested huge sums in letting fish lings into the Western Side of the lake where there was water, could have blocked the entrance to the Eastern Side to not allow the fish lings to swim away.
Corporation Commissioner and Special Officer of Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Dr.K. Vijayakarthikeyan on responding to the issue had said on Tuesday that he would look into it. Acting swiftly on the promise he gave to SimpliCity, he had initiated a team of officials to inspect the lake.
On Saturday, the officials directed the fishermen to remove the sand packs and allow free passage to water and the sand packs were removed leaving the water gushing to the other side.
However, fishermen who have blocked the passage have claimed that they indulged in the activity to filter the water as the first tank had water hyacinth plants. “If the plants get to the other side of the lake, it would pollute the water,” a fisherman claimed.
He further added that such blocks have also been made in other lakes in the city.