COIMBATORE: The Kovai Kulangal Padhukaapu Amaippu has urged the City Corporation to install CCTV cameras around Valankulam lake to nab the culprits dumping hospital wastes in the lake.

A group of volunteers from the organisation, who cleaned the lake on Sunday, cleared a large quantity of medical wastes, gutka packets and empty bottles. “We were shocked to see syringes, needles, liquor bottles,” said a volunteer.

As the medical wastes are being directly dumped in the water body, the chances of people falling sick in very high. “Used syringes and needles will affect people, who consume fish that are caught from this lake,” says R. Manikandan, Coordinator of Kovai Kulangal Padhukaapu Amaippu.

Urging the Corporation authorities to install CCTV cameras around the lake to find out the culprits, he said volunteers from the organisation have been having a tough time in clearing the bottles from the water body.

Members of the organisation, that was started in February 2017, have been cleaning the lakes in the city for the last 72 weeks (every Sunday). “When the organisation was formed, our main aim was to create awareness about lakes and water bodies among the people,” Manikandan added.

Manikandan alleged that the medical wastes cleared from the lake were from Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. “The ambulance drivers throw away empty liquor bottles into the lake. If cameras are installed near the lake, we can easily nab the culprits. Separate persons should be appointed to maintain and protect the lakes in the city,” he said.

“Not only bottles, juice vendors and tea stall owners throw plastic cups in the lake. Every lake is connected through pipelines. Water runs from one lake to another. Even if one lake is polluted, others will also be polluted in due course of time,” Manikandan added.