A host of environment organisations have petitioned the district authorities seeking their direction to the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation to stop work in Valangulam.
The TANGEDCO has dumped earth in the tank to erect electricity poles.
In the petition, Environment Conservation Group, Nature Conservation Society, Wild Wing Society, Siruthuli and Osai have said that the earth dumped in the tank would drastically reduce the water holding capacity of the tank, which had already lost half its original extent to various government departments.
A release from R. Mohammed Saleem of Environment Conservation Group, said that the district Collector M. Karunagaran and Revenue Divisional Officer R. Sahnthakumar had promised to look into the issue.
The press release that was issued also said that the tank and others that form part of the Noyyal basin played an important role in regulating water levels, mitigating floods, recharging ground water and hosting migratory birds.
It also said that if the authorities failed to control the damage, the environment organisations would have little choice but to take up the matter legally.
