Holy pond turns into a cesspool

The pond belongs to the revered shrine of Sri Thayumanaswamy. A few months ago, activists took the initiative to remove silt from the pond. In January, the city corporation removed about 100 loads of muck from the pond.

With the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation yet to take steps to fill water in the Teppakulam of the Rockfort, sewage water is fast accumulating at the tank making it an eyesore and a health hazard.

Civic activists, who were involved in the public cleaning efforts of the tank a few months ago, have bemoaned the lack of proper maintenance and follow up action by the civic body. The city’s famous landmark, they feel, should be restored to its glory through effective steps to prevention pollution of the water body.

The teppakulam of the Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple has been under the maintenance of the corporation. The tank, where pleasure boating service had been in operation some years ago, has been bearing the brunt of the heavy commercial development in the locality in recent year.

The sewage flow and seepage could be noticed just months after the corporation took up a major drive to remove the silt from the tank. A local business man says that sewage from a closed but damaged drain on the NSB Road was seeping into the tank. The civic body, which maintains the tank, in January removed accumulated silt from the sprawling tank after several years. The corporation had then cleared about 100 truck loads of garbage, including over 20 loads of plastic waste, during the cleaning effort which lasted about a month. Members of voluntary organisations such as the Thaneer and student volunteers were involved in the operation.

On Monday, representatives of Thanner were forced to represent the matter to the District Collector during the weekly grievances meeting.

In their representation, M. Sekaran, president, and K.C. Neelamegam, secretary, pointed out that the sewage was flowing into the tank and there was thick growth of weeds. They urged the Collector to take steps to pump water into the tank and restore its beauty.

Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Sekaran regretted that Teppakulam was in a bad shape again and pointed out that many roadside shops have sprung up again all around the Teppakulam. Many of these shops pollute the tank by dumping their waste into it. The corporation should take steps to control the shopkeepers and ensure that water from Cauvery was pumped into it.

The corporation had erected fences over and above the compound wall of the tank, dumping of garbage could not be prevented as innumerable roadside traders and eateries had set shop around the tank.

An inlet channel from the Cauvery had vanished without down the years and turned into a drain. Consequently, the tank had to be filled with water from the river through drinking water lines.

Mr. Sekaran said the Collector had promised steps to convene a meeting of officials of the corporation and other departments concerned to discuss the issue.