Coimbatore : In the wake of severe water shortage and over extraction causing to reduction of ground water, the necessity to save the rain waters by storing them has been emphasised time and again. However, despite heavy rains lashing across the district for the past few days, the water failing to reach optimum level in various lakes in the city and outskirts have raised eyebrows.
Coimbatore : In the wake of severe water shortage and over extraction causing to reduction of ground water, the necessity to save the rain waters by storing them has been emphasised time and again. However, despite heavy rains lashing across the district for the past few days, the water failing to reach optimum level in various lakes in the city and outskirts have raised eyebrows.
The situation continuous despite water flooding in the Noyyal river, which is the prime source of water to these lakes. The collection of water to these tanks is an efficient way to recharge the ground water level and to address the water problems faced by the people in the city and outskirts.
Activist and environmentalist, who have been demanding measures blamed lack of necessary steps by authorities for such a situation.
"It's highly disappointing that the officials opted to avert the Coimbatore Canal and instead deviated the gushing waters from Noyyal through another canal, which is quite narrow. Let's assume, that the waters were diverted through the Coimbatore Canal. By now all the lakes including the Periyakulam and Vaalankulam would have been brimming", opined an environmentalist who requested anonymity.
He further added that the decision to not use Coimbatore Canal much was arrived, after the officials from the District Adminstration and the Corporation feared that the encroachments including the LIC colony along the canal would get inundated.
He questioned that "Should clearing encroachments ahead of the monsoons should be put on priority, instead of bypassing water through another canal?"
"The callousness of the officials has resulted in half-filled, quarter-filled and no-filled lakes while Noyyal is gushing with flood waters for the past 4 days, water is just reaching Sottayaandi Kuttai which is not so far off. The worst affected is the Periyakulam and Valankulam", he noted.
"Not to forget the Ganganarayana Samudram which has fallen prey to the negligence of the officials. The farmers from the area have expressed their anguish over the situation", he pointed.
"Apart from the rain droplets that fell directly into the lake and the usual sewage water, Vaalankulam and Periyakulam has nothing to boast upon. Very little of the Noyyal waters have reached them. Around 4650 cubic feet of inflow from Noyyal was reported, with such gargantuan amounts of water flowing through the Noyyal, all the lakes should be brimming, right now", he lamented.
Many of the environmentalist jointly alleged that "When rains fail us, the government struggles to find alternate water sources and advocates on water conservation. To the contrary, when rains lash the city, poor planning and lack of resources lead to Ill management of the surplus water."
Speaking to Simplicity, Environmentalist K Mohan Raj, said that "Water in the Noyyal would not have gone waste had the authorities properly maintained the canals and channels which brings water during rains to these tanks. A majority of the canals are poorly maintained and on many stretches encroachments are evident."
He further alleged that many of the tank outlets and regulators are not maintained. "Earlier, the PWD maintained these tanks and canals, however ever since the tanks were handed over to the Corporation, there is little attention by the authorities to the canals", he noted.
Seconding him, R. Manikandan of Kovai Kulangal Padhukappu Iyakkam, opined "Generally, Kurichi and Vellalore will take about 30 days to brim, however in the current scenario the tanks can brim in just five days."
"However, the problem is that most of canals are in bad condition and ill-maintained. Last week, several canals including the ones in Kuniyamuthur got damaged. It is unfortunate that under the smart city project, huge amounts are being allocated to beautify and maintain the bunds of the lakes. Sadly, very little has been allocated for desilting and cleaning the canals," he opined.
Expressing his views, Minister S.P Velumani told the reporters that most of the canals are too narrow and can carry only 1000 cusecs of water, however 4000 cusecs of water is gushing through the Noyyal river
When we tried to contact the PWD officials they were unavailable for comments.