The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has sought response of the Tirunelveli district administration on a public interest litigation petition filed in 2016 complaining about the discharge of effluents and drainage water into Thamirabarani river in Tirunelveli district.
The petitioner, S. Thangappan of Kallidaikurichi in Ambasamudram taluk, Tirunelveli district, had filed the petition seeking direction to stop the discharge of effluents and drainage water into the Thamirabarani river at Kallidaikurichi.
He said that the Kannadiyan channel was a major watercourse under Thamirabarani irrigation system in Tirunelveli.
To the south of the channel there was a stream and the excess rainwater gets drained into it.
Earlier, the effluents were discharged into the stream but now it was being diverted to the Thamirabarani river, he alleged.
The petitioner said the Thamirabarani river was a drinking water source. Also, the water was being used for agricultural purposes, he said.
Therefore, steps should be taken to prevent the discharge of effluents into the river, he said.
A Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and J. Sathya Narayana Prasad sought response of Tirunelveli district administration and directed the authorities to file a report.
