The reported move to close down and level the Ammankulam water body by dumping debris created a flutter on Saturday.
Residents in the area accused a section of the officials in the local body of having already allowed dumping of debris. and lamented that the civic body should have instead worked at deepening the water body near Erimedu at Puliakulam in Ward 70. This would have recharged the groundwater aquifer.
A major portion of the land was already levelled and the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board tenements had come up. Residents pointed out that one acre of Ammankulam near Karupparayan Koil was a storing point for water from Valankulam. But sewage from nearby areas also reached this tank and from here travelled through the sluice to Sanganur canal. Because of this, there was a threat of mosquito breeding and possibility of disease in the area. Public have been demanding a clean up of the water body. In the last couple of days, over 150 trucks have dumped sand and debris.
Local field level officials and Ward Councillor Ganesan, deny this saying that a temporary way was being created to transport construction materials to build a concrete floored eight-feet deep canal for taking the water from Valankulam to Sanganur canal at a cost of Rs 70 lakh. Once completed, the debris and sand would be removed.The public says that removal of trees and dumping of sand has resulted in the residents facing a threat of inundation even after mild showers. They demanded that a separate canal be constructed to channelize the sewage.
