The Allikulam tank, a significant aquifer recharge in the Annur panchayat of Coimbatore district, recently garnered attention due to discharge of household sewage into it.
The problem stems from the absence of modern underground drainage systems, stormwater drains, and more importantly, a sewage treatment plant (STP).
Almost all the 22 blocks in the district face similar problems related to sewage treatment. Currently Periyanaickenpalayam and Sarkar Samakulam blocks have STPs.
Annur tank, Sulur tank, and Pallapalayam tank in the Pallapalayam town panchayat, and Achanankulam in Neelambur panchayat are overrun with hyacinth, indicating the sewage contamination in these water bodies.
Panchayats face significant financial constraints in laying new underground drainage systems for the burgeoning population and sewage generation. “In the last couple of years, the population has grown exponentially, and the older systems do not work. Consequently, sewage and rainwater inundate several areas during heavy rain,” said Paramasivan, president of Annur town panchayat.
Maintaining existing STPs is another financial challenge for the panchayats, which struggle with limited funds for general upkeep, let alone maintenance of the plants. “Even if there was an STP, covering costs would be challenging. Maintenance could cost up to ₹2 lakh a month, excluding operator salaries,” an official from Sulur town panchayat said.
The construction of an STP costs ₹3 crore to ₹5 crore, with an annual maintenance cost amounting to ₹25 lakh. However, most panchayat unions in the district have an annual budget of just about ₹5 crore. “There are several projects and schemes to take care of and most of them run on deficit by the year-end,” a council member of the district panchayat stated.
Many of these lakes are part of the Noyyal basin or are connected to the Athikadavu-Avinashi irrigation scheme. While efforts by the administration and various NGOs have focused on rejuvenating the river, the associated tanks have largely been neglected.
Shanmugavel, a long-time resident of Pallapalayam, said, “I have witnessed changes in bird population and migration patterns over the years due to water contamination. Until 2005, we used to fish in the lake, but even that has ceased.”
In response to this, District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati said that a few residential areas faced inundation due to lack of drainage during the recent rain. “There are ongoing discussions to find solutions for rainwater management.” The Annur panchayat is also in discussions to establish an STP as a potential remedy.
The Additional Director of Town Panchayats in Coimbatore district added that plans to acquire land for STPs are under way in multiple blocks.
Published - June 11, 2024 07:50 pm IST
