Students in action for Vaigai restoration

A good initiative as they want to bring back its original glory

A total of 2,650 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers participated in a massive initiative as part of the Vaigai river restoration efforts initiated by the district administration here on Saturday.

Coordinated by the Dhan Foundation, the student-volunteers got down to work at 9.30 a.m. armed with protective gloves and masks and cleared litter as well as thorny bushes and shrubs in the stretch of the riverbed from Kuruvikaran Salai to Obulapadithurai.

With the coordinated efforts of the Corporation, earthmovers were used and silt as well as debris dumped on the riverbed was cleared.

Collector L. Subramanian initiated the clean-up drive and said that the second phase of the restoration would be held on October 15 where NSS volunteers would be involved again.

“I’ve always driven past this stretch and wondered about litter on the riverbed. Now that we as the student community actually have an opportunity to make a difference, we hope to create an impact and bring about a change,” said Sai Shankar, a student and NSS volunteer.

K. Mercy, another student, said that during the clean-up, many people who were passing by and walking across the riverbed stopped to ask them what it was that they were involved in. “Through this, we are hoping for a change in awareness and a sensitisation among the people to keep the riverbed clean,” she noted.

While students from the Fatima College, Yadava College, American College, Vivekananda College and Tata Dhan Academy participated in the clean-up along the northern banks of the river, students from the Madurai kamaraj University, Thiagarajar College, Wakf Board College and Lady Doak College worked around the southern bank of the river.

Apart from clearing litter and debris, saplings of Neermarudhu, Vembu and Thondrai were planted along the banks of the river with protective metal enclosures.

“These are trees which used to be there near the banks of the river and we want to restore the area to its original glory,” said P. Vasunathan, Vaigai River Restoration Programme Officer from the Dhan Foundation.