There are also issues like lack of sewerage system, bad roads, poor public sanitation facility, etc. in Kurichi. For, poor drinking water is the issue.
The locality with a population of over a lakh suffers from irregular water supply, from both the Aliyar and Siruvani drinking water schemes. The residents complain that the Corporation is able to supply Siruvani and Aliyar waters only twice or thrice a month and that too for an hour or so.
Even the bore well water the Corporation supplies is not sufficient, they say. Ward 97 Councillor M. Manimaran says that the erstwhile Kurichi Municipality constructed a water tank on Sarada Mill Road to store ground water. But the tank has been in disuse since day one.
This was about three years ago.
Ashtalakshmi Nagar, Ashok Nagar, MGR Nagar and neighbouring areas the worst affected, says S. Rajamanickam, a former chairman of the Kurichi Municipality.
The next is the absence of sewerage system. Sundarapuram and neighbouring localities have no sewerage system. Whatever domestic sewage that flows is conveyed to the natural drain, which is actually supposed to carry surplus water from the Kurichi tank and rain water.
Without proper drainage and by letting out sewage in the open and into natural drains, the residents suffer from mosquito menace. Those in and around the Corporation's dump yard in Vellalore also suffer from fly menace.
Kurichi also suffers from shortage of public convenience facility. There are not enough public toilets for people to attend nature's call. The result is that they urinate and defecate in the open, laments S. Nagarajan, a Kurichi resident. “Women suffer the most.”
The toilet that was under construction at the Sundarapuram tomato market remains incomplete for over two years now. “The then Kurichi Municipality and the Corporation are still constructing it,” says Mr. Manimaran.
Bus terminus
The next issue is the absence of a bus terminus. Buses to various parts of the city that terminate in Kurichi are parked alongside the road. This not only causes traffic congestion but also accidents, says Mr. Rajamanickam.
The Coimbatore Corporation has proposed a bus terminus for Kurichi. But the land identified is a water body and sources say that the civic body is yet to get the Public Works Department's clearance.
Roads are no good either. Many of the link roads, concrete roads and the road connecting Kurichi with Kuniamuthur via the Sri Krishna College of Engineering is in a very bad shape.
It is so bad that the residents have placed a board asking road users to be cautious.
Corporation sources say that the civic body has prepared estimates for the road and it will soon float tender.
Pillaiyarpuram is yet another area that suffers from want of basic amenities. The residents want the Corporation to provide drinking water and construct public convenience facility on a priority basis.
For Podanur residents the challenge is from the Vellalore dump yard. Frequent fire and smoke from the waste dumped there and flies trouble them to no end.
K.S. Mohan, a resident of Kurichi, says that frequent fire and smoke have forced the residents to compromise on their health.
“They have been complaining of throat infection and irritation for long.”
Sources in the Corporation say that the civic body has taken a few steps like placing generators at the Aliyar pumping stations to augment water supply. It has proposed to construct a bus stand, the work for which will soon commence. They also say that the civic body will solve the residents' other grievances on a priority basis.
