The frothing plight of Noyyal year after year!

Coimbatore: Noyyal which is filled with rain water loses its identity when it reaches the cities as it froths up with all the pollutants that continue to get mixed with the river water, year after year.

Coimbatore: Noyyal which is filled with rain water loses its identity when it reaches the cities as it froths up with all the pollutants that continue to get mixed with the river water, year after year.



The South west monsoons have brought about plenty of rainfall to Nilgiris, Coimbatore and other areas near the Western Ghats. As a result of the monsoon rains, lakes, and dams have been filling up fast. The incessant rains pouring in the Nilgiris have caused the Pillur dam to fill up and the excess water is being discharged. Therefore, flood warning has been issued to the people living in the banks of the river. Similarly, heavy rains in the Noyyal river catchment areas have caused it to flood, but the river loses its identity once it enters the city, past the forests and the villages.

While people generally prefer to stay indoors when it floods, the people living near the Noyyal do not feel so when the river floods. They are worried when the river froths up! This is because drainage water and dye wastes are generally let to mix into the Noyyal river. Similarly, the urbanisation of places has increased the number of residences and used water that comes out of these places mixes into the river water, directly. This has polluted the river, causing it to froth up. Dyeing units in various prime locations that do not function in the day time, function in the night, allege the public. Despite many complaints that have been filed with the Corporation, no action has been taken so far, lament the public.



Similarly, The check dams at Selvapuram, Puttuvikki and Sunnambu Kalavai are surrounded by bleaching factories. Effluent waste from these factories enter the river with no treatment whatsoever. During the rainy season the wastes, along with the river water appear frothy. When this water is used by the public and cattle it causes a lot of health issues to them.

The water that reaches the Singanallur lake also carries the froth. Since the areas between Selvapuram and Aathupaalam are densely populated, the drain water does not go through the underground sewer, but mixes with the river water. Mixed with the rain water, the river water becomes polluted too, leading to it flow with a frothy appearance.

This froth also poses danger to the people on vehicles as it takes to air and flies up to a distance of 10 meters and lands on motorists. Contact with the froth causes skin diseases and breathing difficulties, allege the people of the locality. Social activists also state that even if factories are a part of the problem, the use of various chemicals is heavy in the present days, leading to water pollution. The prime source of clean water, rivers get heavily polluted, year after year, they lament.

While this is the case in Coimbatore, it is unforgettable how dye wastes entered into the towns and caused damage when the rivers flooded in Tirupur in 2018. The consensus is people who let untreated water into the rivers must be identified and dealt with. When the might of humans has been rendered impotent before a raging pandemic from which we are struggling to recover, practises such as recklessly polluting rivers will only lead us to a more dangerous clime. Civilisations were born on the river banks. However, it appears that river banks will be totally lost due to irresponsible human action!

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