Bridge construction underway by closing aqueduct raises eyebrows; activists seek temporary halt
Coimbatore: The construction of bridge by the state highways department in Puttuvikki road in Ukkadam by closing the aqueducts of Ukkadam lake where the water comes from Noyyal has irked activists and environmentalists in the city.
Construction is underway on this busy road, a long term project that proposed to save the city from huge traffics and to eliminate travel headaches between Ukkadam to Pollachi highways. The state highways department and city corporation involved in the process are ramping up the construction work by putting up bridge girders that support the roadway, allegedly shutting down the aqueduct of Ukkadam lake at a time when the lake receives more water flow.
Irked by this, Manikandan from Kovai Kulangal Paathukaapu Amaippu, an NGO that works for the betterment of lakes in the city, says the departments involved in the bridge construction must temporarily halt the process during winter and allow water flow through aqueducts. “Only during the winter, the river gets more water flow. Rivers in Coimbatore are dependent on Noyyal, where the water flows from. However, with the closure of aqueducts, the water flow will be stopped and it affects the rivers in many ways” he said.
While the construction is well underway in Ukkadam seemed to be the only trouble, Manikandan says there is another. The activist alleges a private firm has been stepped in Sengulam and is constructing a bridge over there, just to promote a privately owned land near there. We condemn the public work department for allegedly helping in building a bridge over Aengulam lake, closing the aqueducts for private property.
The department must do their work correctly, he alleged while adding that they have to build a new aqueduct near the bridge temporarily. He also questioned the officials involved in the process as to why the bridge is necessary in this place as there are no people living nearby it.
Further, he said the NGO and environmentalists have also taken the matter to the state government for intervention in this regard.
Construction is underway on this busy road, a long term project that proposed to save the city from huge traffics and to eliminate travel headaches between Ukkadam to Pollachi highways. The state highways department and city corporation involved in the process are ramping up the construction work by putting up bridge girders that support the roadway, allegedly shutting down the aqueduct of Ukkadam lake at a time when the lake receives more water flow.
Irked by this, Manikandan from Kovai Kulangal Paathukaapu Amaippu, an NGO that works for the betterment of lakes in the city, says the departments involved in the bridge construction must temporarily halt the process during winter and allow water flow through aqueducts. “Only during the winter, the river gets more water flow. Rivers in Coimbatore are dependent on Noyyal, where the water flows from. However, with the closure of aqueducts, the water flow will be stopped and it affects the rivers in many ways” he said.
While the construction is well underway in Ukkadam seemed to be the only trouble, Manikandan says there is another. The activist alleges a private firm has been stepped in Sengulam and is constructing a bridge over there, just to promote a privately owned land near there. We condemn the public work department for allegedly helping in building a bridge over Aengulam lake, closing the aqueducts for private property.
The department must do their work correctly, he alleged while adding that they have to build a new aqueduct near the bridge temporarily. He also questioned the officials involved in the process as to why the bridge is necessary in this place as there are no people living nearby it.
Further, he said the NGO and environmentalists have also taken the matter to the state government for intervention in this regard.