Initiating steps to treat the sewage flowing into the Uyyakondan canal, ensuring effective functioning of the underground drainage system along the water course, and building retaining walls along the canal were some of the decisions arrived at a meeting of the Uyyakondan Protection Committee held here on Tuesday.
District Collector K.S.Palanisamy chaired the meeting of the committee which comprises officials of the Corporation, Public Works Department, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Revenue, Health, and representatives of voluntary organisations.
An official release issued after the meeting said that a cleaning campaign would also be taken up along the city stretch of the canal course, by segmenting it into one-km stretches.
Besides, volunteers would also be identified among residents living along the canal bank to monitor the cleaning process.
The Uyyakondan canal originates from the Cauvery near Pettavaithalai and traverses about 72 kilometres up to Vazhavanthankottai tank, but is subject to heavy urban pollution, especially between Puthur and Senthaneerpuram. The 1,000-year-old canal built by Raja Raja Cholan and renovated by Kulothunga Cholan has an ayacut of 32,000 acres.
The river, which takes its flow from the Cauvery, cuts across Tiruchi and takes a blackish hue on the city stretch.
Major open drains flow into the canal between Cantonment and Ariyamangalam, apart from a number of small drains carrying sewage from hotels, commercial establishments, and houses.
Uyyakondan canal suffers severe pollution between Puthur and Senthaneerpuram
