Members from the environment organisation Athikadavu–Kousika Nadhi Mempadu Sangam met Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit here yesterday and requested him take steps to release funds for the protection of the Kousika river.

The Governor during his maiden visit to Coimbatore met top district administration officials, environmentalists and members from various organisations.

Sangham secretary PK Selvaraj said the meeting did give his team hopes. “The Governor assured us that he will take it up personally with the Centre and have a word with Union Minister Nithin Gadkari. He asked his personal secretary to update him on the project and asked us to follow up the matter with him,” he added. The team explained to Governor how the river could connect the Bhavani and the Noyyal.

It has been a long time since the Tamil Nadu agricultural engineering department gave an estimate of Rs 87 crore for the reconstruction of Kousika river and its sides. But no funds had been allocated so far, Selvaraj said.

The project envisages development of the river sides, subsidised power for farm lands near the river, assistance to farmers to rear cattle and having plants at points were sewage is discharged.