Tirunelveli councilors demand measures to halt sewage inflow into Thamirabarani river

Councilors said sewage being pumped in the underground drainage scheme to the Ramaiyanpatti garbage yard, was flowing into the river due to breaches in the pipes at several places

Tirunelveli Corporation councilors have urged Mayor P.M. Saravanan to take effective and immediate steps to save the Thamirabarani river from being polluted by sewage flowing into it, despite the first phase of the underground drainage scheme being executed in a few parts of the twin towns of Tirunevleli and Palayamkottai.

When councilors Shankar and Subramanian raised this serious issue at the council meeting held on Monday, they said the sewage being pumped in the underground drainage scheme to the Ramaiyanpatti garbage yard was flowing into the river due to breaches in the pipes at several places, and held the Corporation officials responsible for failing to prevent this pollution.

Councilor Ramzan Ali complained that the Corporation’s failure to implement an underground drainage scheme in the Melapalayam zone had resulted in the flowing of sewage into the Palayam channel, while Palayamkottai Zone chairman M. Francis wanted to know about the status of the third phase of the underground drainage project to be implemented in uncovered areas in Palayamkottai and Melapalayam zones.

Councilor Rasool Maideen said the sewage generated in Melapalayam zone was flowing into Kannimarkulam, seriously polluting the surroundings and the groundwater, as there was no underground drainage scheme there.

Corporation officials assured the councilors that they would inspect the ruptures and plug the breaches to check the flow of sewage into the Thamirabarani. They also said that the proposal for implementing the underground drainage project in the uncovered areas of Palayamkottai and Melapalayam zones would shortly be submitted to the government for its final approval and allocation of funds.

Drinking water supply

Councilor Chinnathaai wanted officials to ensure sufficient drinking water supply to the Anna Nagar area. “Even after the Ariyanayagipuram drinking water scheme has been commissioned, the supply to our area is very poor,” she complained.

 Councilor Muthu Subramanian urged the officials to constantly monitor the scientific chlorination of drinking water as the chemical being mixed in the drinking water to kill germs, should not harm consumers, he said.

Media restrictions

Since the ongoing acrimonious tussle between the Mayor and the councilors over sharing of the “benefits” of being members of the Tirunelveli Corporation and the heated arguments and protests inside the council hall were carried in media reports, there were several restrictions imposed on media persons ahead of Monday’s meeting.

These restrictions triggered opposition from journalists, and they were finally not put in place.

Monday’s meeting did not witness any heated arguments or protests as the contentious issue has been temporarily solved by former minister and Tirunelveli central district in-charge of the DMK, T.P.M. Mohideen Khan, who convened a meeting of the corporation councilors on Saturday.