Dumping of garbage, including plastic and thermocol, continue to affect the 737-year-old Kalingarayan canal as farmers want effective steps to be taken so that the glory of the canal gets restored.
The 90.5 km. long canal helps in irrigating 15,743 acre located on both the sides of the canal from Bhavani to Kodumudi. Desilting and concrete lining of the canal was carried out by the Public Works Department two years ago.
To prevent untreated industrial effluents from entering the canal, a baby canal was constructed. However, pollution continues to be a major concern for the farmers who said that the canal has lost its glory and retaining it would be difficult. Appavu, a farmer of Parisal Thurai, said that industrial and poultry waste were dumped in huge quantities during night that pollute the water completely. He said that the colour of the water had changed to black due to pollution.
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People washing clothes, drivers using the water to wash vehicles and bathing by people are commonly seen at any stretch of the river during day time. But farmers said that the canal has turned to be a garbage dumping yard for shopkeepers and vendors.
“Apart from dumping vegetable waste, rotten food items, garlands, plastic bottles, obsolete items are dumped in the canal”, said Kulandaivela, a resident of Karungalpalayam, who frequently takes bath in the canal. While most of the garbage gets submerged, plastic bottles and thermocol keeps floating in the canal and block the flow of water at few places.
Members of the Kalingarayan Mathaku Pasana Vivasayigal Sabai said that waste materials clog the water flow into baby canals frequently creating trouble to them. Apart from strict monitoring by officials, the attitude of the people should change so that the canal is protected, members said.
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