Coimbatore: Voluntary organizations and public strive to reclaim the age-old Kothavadi Pond near Pollachi
Coimbatore: Kothavadi Pond is one of the oldest water bodies located in the Pollachi area of Coimbatore district. It is said to have been the most waterlogged pond in the 1980s, irrigating tens of thousands of acres of agricultural lands.
What Kurichi Pond is to Coimbatore is Kothavadi Pond to Pollachi. It is one of the water bodies that has a huge storage capacity. Over the course of time, due to the factors such as scarce rainfalls and human occupation, the pond has become dry and overgrown with shrubbery. Many of its waterways have been lost.
In an effort to reclaim the pond, volunteers, students and the general public in the village have joined hands to form the Kothavadi Kulangal Paathukaapu Amaippu. We spoke to the organization's coordinator, Sundar Rajan. He said, "In the beginning we just began a WhatsApp group with the help of Kowsika Nadhineer Karangal organisation. Then the locals joined with us in weekly field work."
He added, "We conducted systematic field surveys and gathered data. About twenty panchayats are likely to benefit from this pond. Waterway surveys are ongoing. The water level will continue to be preserved for generations by conducting field surveys and activities involving the people of the respective areas. There is a need for further clarification regarding the total area of the pond.
It is presently spread over an area of 136 acres within a panchayat. We are at present removing the overgrown shrubs and trees in the pond and strengthening the bunds of the pond."
He further said, "The groundwater level in the pond has dropped below 1000 feet during summers. The ground water level is likely to rise by 30 to 50 feet if a working pond is maintained. In the past, water was received to the pond thrice through canals from Parambikulam and Aliyar. It filled up to 40 feet and met the needs of the people nearby.
During the monsoon season, the pond receives water only through streams and waterways. They built check dams to raise the ground water level, but this stopped the inflow of water to the pond completely."
"If a permanent canal is built in order to direct water that is released from Aliyar, when it reaches full capacity, to Kothavadi pond, it can be filled up in just 15 to 20 days. If this happens, agriculture, livestock and industry in the area will flourish for 3 to 4 years and beyond. The distance between the pond and the irrigation canal is just 2.1 km. Therefore TN government and PWD should formulate plans to build the canal to the pond. Over 4 lakh people in 40 panchayats will benefit from this. We coordinated the 40 panchayats and had them pass a joint resolution in order to facilitate the canal work. We pass this as a request to the government.
There is a proverb in Tamil, ‘Oor koodi ther izhu’, that implies the strength of community participation in matters of societal importance. That's what is happening here," he added.
What Kurichi Pond is to Coimbatore is Kothavadi Pond to Pollachi. It is one of the water bodies that has a huge storage capacity. Over the course of time, due to the factors such as scarce rainfalls and human occupation, the pond has become dry and overgrown with shrubbery. Many of its waterways have been lost.
In an effort to reclaim the pond, volunteers, students and the general public in the village have joined hands to form the Kothavadi Kulangal Paathukaapu Amaippu. We spoke to the organization's coordinator, Sundar Rajan. He said, "In the beginning we just began a WhatsApp group with the help of Kowsika Nadhineer Karangal organisation. Then the locals joined with us in weekly field work."
He added, "We conducted systematic field surveys and gathered data. About twenty panchayats are likely to benefit from this pond. Waterway surveys are ongoing. The water level will continue to be preserved for generations by conducting field surveys and activities involving the people of the respective areas. There is a need for further clarification regarding the total area of the pond.
It is presently spread over an area of 136 acres within a panchayat. We are at present removing the overgrown shrubs and trees in the pond and strengthening the bunds of the pond."
He further said, "The groundwater level in the pond has dropped below 1000 feet during summers. The ground water level is likely to rise by 30 to 50 feet if a working pond is maintained. In the past, water was received to the pond thrice through canals from Parambikulam and Aliyar. It filled up to 40 feet and met the needs of the people nearby.
During the monsoon season, the pond receives water only through streams and waterways. They built check dams to raise the ground water level, but this stopped the inflow of water to the pond completely."
"If a permanent canal is built in order to direct water that is released from Aliyar, when it reaches full capacity, to Kothavadi pond, it can be filled up in just 15 to 20 days. If this happens, agriculture, livestock and industry in the area will flourish for 3 to 4 years and beyond. The distance between the pond and the irrigation canal is just 2.1 km. Therefore TN government and PWD should formulate plans to build the canal to the pond. Over 4 lakh people in 40 panchayats will benefit from this. We coordinated the 40 panchayats and had them pass a joint resolution in order to facilitate the canal work. We pass this as a request to the government.
There is a proverb in Tamil, ‘Oor koodi ther izhu’, that implies the strength of community participation in matters of societal importance. That's what is happening here," he added.