Channel on Siruvani Road in Coimbatore chokes with waste, weeds

Due to discharge of sewage into the channel, it starts frothing during heavy rain. The stench is unbearable and occasionally reptiles enter the houses here, says a resident of Anna Nagar in Ward 40 of the Coimbatore Coproration

The channel on Siruvani Road in Coimbatore choking with weeds and plastic waste. | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M

Ward 41: Pappanaickenpudur (P.N Pudur) (West Zone)

Councillor Name: C. Santhi (CPI)

Councillor contact number: 8925514041

Main areas

Siruvani Road, Gokulam Colony, Marudhamalai Road, Ponnusamy Nagar, Jagathesh Nagar Layout, Veerakeralarn Village boundary, Thadagam Road,

Voters: Female - 6,839; Male - 6,678; Others - 1, Total - 13,518

Issues

Open dumping of waste in the channel and in open areas, garden waste not removed regularly, drinking water supplied only once in 10 days

Civic body services and infrastructure

Corporation Park near Mullai Nagar, Siruvani Road laid in portions, road works in progress, stormwater drain laid three years ago

The channel on Siruvani Road in Ward 41 of the Coimbatore Corporation, which is said to connect a few other channels from Maruthamalai foothills to Krishnampathy tank, is choking with plastic waste and weeds.

A resident of Bharathi Nagar, situated near the channel, said that when he moved to the locality in the 1980s, the waterway was clean.

“I raised the bund level by soil-filling to plant trees. But now, after roads were laid, it is used for parking, so the green cover is very less. Even though there are dustbins opposite Bethel Faith Spark Bible College here, hotel owners and passersby discard plastic and food waste into the water. To control mosquito menace, I burn the waste on alternate days,” the resident said.

Vasanthamani (38), a resident of Anna Nagar (Ward 40) on Pongaliyur Road, said the encroachments on either side of the channel were removed two years ago, after which the pollution had reduced. “Due to discharge of sewage into the channel, it starts frothing during heavy rain. The stench is unbearable and occasionally reptiles enter the houses here.”

A Health Department official claimed that due to staff shortage, it was becoming difficult to clear the open dumps. Another official in the Corporation’s engineering department said there were no plans so far to clean the channel.

“We are not sure where the channel originates from. The area will be assessed.,” he said.

Ms. Vasanthamani said that the Siruvani Road, which had only a mud top for several years, was laid recently.

A motorist in the area said that the bridge opposite the police check-post on Maruthamalai Road was damaged and it needed immediate repair.

An official in the engineering department said a proposal to repair the bridge at ₹3 lakh was under process and the work would begin in 15 days.

A resident of Indra Nagar in P.N. Pudur claimed that several road works in the area were going on at a snail’s pace, inconveniencing motorists.

According to an official, the road works taken up under the Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Fund and Nagarpura Salai Mempattu Thittam (NSMT) at ₹1.5 crore in Aishwarya Nagar, Vivekananda Road, Ponnusamay Nagar and a few other areas were nearing completion.