The Tiruchi Corporation two important upcoming projects – a modern fish market and a faecal sludge management and treatment plant – at Kasivilangi on Kuzhumani Road in the city have run into stiff opposition from residents of Linga Nagar and neighbouring areas.
Expressing fears of possible pollution and likely traffic congestion, local residents have urged the Corporation to relocate the facilities.
The residents, who recently petitioned the Collector on the issue, have also moved the Green Tribunal against the establishment of the faecal treatment plant in their locality. Work on the project is already underway and the building for the modern fish market complex is also under construction.
The new fish market, which would accommodate shops of the fish market currently functioning at Puthur without proper infrastructure, would have shops for wholesale and retail traders, cold storage, fish processing area, and an effluent treatment plant.
The faecal management and treatment system is a project planned on the lines of a project implemented at Devanahalli in Karnataka. The treated waste water from the plant is planned to be used for irrigating gardens in its buffer zone and the bio-gas generated from the bio digester would be used for cooking. The composted sludge could be used as bio-manure in agricultural fields.
The project seeks to bring about an integrated and holistic approach in managing faecal sludge. The project would cover about 10,700 households in six wards in the city and the disposal will take place at treatment plant to be set up at Kasivilangi.
Representatives from the project implementation agencies have assured that the entire system would be underground and there would be no foul odour emanating from the plant. Besides, the treated waste water and the compost would be completely pathogen-free, they maintain.
However, residents fear that the projects would adversely impact low-lying area, prone for flooding. They fear that flooding and possible submergence of the treatment plant could lead to much pollution.
“There are over 5000 houses close to the facilities. Cultivation is still going on in about 500 acres along the Kuzhumani road and the locality is sandwiched between the Kodingal and Kasivilangi canals. We are scared and shudder to think what would happen if there were to be floods again,” said V. Thirugnanasambandam, secretary, Lingam Nagar Residents Welfare Association. The association members also fear that
Residents also fear that the faecal sludge project could pollute the ground water and air in Kamatchi Amman Kovil Street, Vallalar Nagar, Lingam Nagar, Selva Nagar, Mangal Nagar, Subramania Nagr, SBI Colony and Aravanur. The water flow in Kasivilangi canal was already polluted, they charge.
Mr.Thirugnanasambanbam also pointed out that the facilities are being established in a site which is accessible only through the narrow Kuzhumani Road, the only access road to the residential colonies. If trucks and other vehicles frequent the facilities, the stretch on the narrow road would become a major traffic bottleneck, he contended.
