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Coimbatore
Coimbatore corporation to check overflow from city tanks, undertake cleaning operations
May 26, 2018
COIMBATORE: The water level in the Selvachinthamani Lake remains at barely 1 ft below its capacity. As the threat of overflowing water can damage the pathway of living area, leaving residents worried, authorities have decided to open the gates and release water into the channels.
As the lake’s gates are damaged severely and people fearing that water may enter into the residential locality, officials realised they had to step in and maintain the gates and channels.
The sluice gates of many lakes in the city are poorly maintained and people want the civic body to form an exclusive group to maintain water bodies. Under the Coimbatore Corporation, there are eight tanks to be maintained, including Muthannankulam, Selvachinthamani, Ukkadam Periyakulam and Valankulam.
“Owing to good summer showers, the four tanks – Krishnampathi, Selvampathy, Muthannankulam and Selvachinthamani – lakes are nearly full. And these lakes merge towards the already full Selvachinthamani Lake. The excess of water can easily flow into residential localities,” says resident R Manikandan.
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On May 11, the water level in Selvachinthamani tank reached its capacity level and the corporation officials failed to open the gates immediately. This created tension in the area. Later, corporation officials opened the gates and channels and water flowed to the Ukkadam Periyakulam.
“People dump garbage and other plastic waste into the canal. Plastic dump all the way from Selvachinthamani tank to Ukkadam Periyakulam has resulted in water stagnation. The corporation should undertake immediate maintenance and cleaning and strengthen the sluice gates and channels,” adds Manikandan.
Officials from Coimbatore Corporation, along with the social activists visited Selvachinthamani, Periyakulam and Muthannankulam tanks on Thursday and announced plans to strengthen and clean the channels and sluice gates. Corporation engineer Lakshmanan, Subash and Gopalakrishnan from Smart City Consultancy, Secretary of the Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) R Raveendran and R Manikandan of Kovai Kulangal Padhukappu Amaippu visited Selvachinthamani and Ukkadam Periyakulam tanks.
“Corporation officials plan to clean the stagnation and divert water to Muthannankulam and Narsampathy, as there was chance for flooding in residential areas around the canal when the Noyyal river flow opens to these tanks,” said Manikandan.
