More than 20 days ago, the Coimbatore Corporation completed the task of removing water weeds from the Singanallur Tank. It also completed the work to refurbish the boat house. The Corporation said it carried out the work to relaunch boating services but till date the boating house remains closed to the public.
According to sources, the Corporation spent Rs. 25.90 lakh to remove weeds from the tank. It engaged heavy machinery by paying money on per-hour basis to remove the weeds. It also strengthened bunds so as to make the water body more accessible.
It spent another Rs. 20 lakh to renovate the boat house, whose columns needed to be strengthened and roof replaced.
Even as it was engaged in the task, the Corporation said that it was in talks with the rovers’ club to introduce boating and also encourage the city’s residents to use the tank for canoeing as a sport. A few visits by Mayor and other officials followed the announcement but now nothing has happened.
Sources critical of the efforts said that the civic body ill spent the money as the water hyacinth would grow again as sewage continued to flow into the tank. Without stopping the inflow of sewage, there was no point in attempting to control the weed growth.
Officials in the Corporation said that they had identified three points where the sewage entered the water body and proposed to install a sewage treatment plant for treat and let the treated water flow into the tank.
Mayor P. Rajkumar said that he had asked officials to prepare a detailed project report for a sewage treatment plant. Once the report was prepared, the civic body would know the cost of the plant. Even as it planned to install the plant, the Corporation would continue to clean the tank.
And, if boating were introduced, it would reduce the weed growth.
As for the date of throwing open the tank and boat house, he said it would be done very soon.
