The city stretch of the Uyyakondan canal, which has been subject to heavy urban pollution over the years, would be cleaned up in a phased manner, District Collector K.S. Palanisamy said on Thursday.
Mr. Palanisamy, who inspected the canal near the Puthur weir and its adjoining areas along with members of the Uyyakondan Protection Committee, said steps would be taken to prevent flow of solid and liquid wastes into the canal.
The canal, which takes its flow from the Cauvery, cuts across Tiruchi city. It originates from the Cauvery near Pettavaithalai and traverses about 72 km up to Vazhavanthankottai tank.
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The 1,000-year-old canal built by Raja Raja Cholan and renovated by Kulothunga Cholan has an ayacut of 32,000 acres of land.
Open drains flow into the canal between Cantonment and Ariyamangalam, apart from a number of small drains carrying sewage from hotels, commercial establishments, and houses.
The cleaning drive is planned to be taken up in segments of 100 metres each of the 6-km city stretch of the canal starting from Puthur weir. Each segment would be handed over to voluntary organisations for maintenance. A parapet with high fence would be built along the canal between MGR Statue and Uzhavar Sandhai to prevent dumping of solid wastes.
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The authorities have planned to raise small parks along with walking tracks along the canal banks.
The corporation would identify places where plastics, medical waste, and other solid wastes are being dumped in the canal and warn those indulging in such practice.
The concrete lining would be provided along the canal. The cleaning initiative would be monitored every 15 days, Mr. Palanisamy said.
T. Kalaiselvan, Executive Engineer, Public Works Department (River Conservation Division), N. Balagurunathan, Executive Engineer, Tiruchi Corporation; R. Lakshmi, District Environmental Engineer, and members of the Uyyakondan Protection Committee, accompanied the Collector.