Tiruchi water bodies languish in neglect despite revival efforts

Despite Tiruchi Corporation’s initiatives to reconstruct and rejuvenate immoderate of the city’s large h2o bodies, galore of them proceed to languish successful neglect, drafting disapproval from residents and biology activists.

The Corporation had announced a ₹26.40-crore beautification task for Kollankulam, dispersed implicit 55 acres, nether the Capital Grant Fund 2022–23. The project, mooted successful 2023, was initially stalled owed to ineligible hurdles. Following modifications to the archetypal plan, it was projected to acceptable up a sewage attraction works to forestall wastewater inflow into the lake. Although beautification enactment began successful September, it has present been halted again owing to issues related to encroachments on the lake.

Similarly, Kottapattu Periyakulam was developed into a recreational abstraction successful 2023 with a walking track, seating areas, decorative plants, lighting, and metallic fencing. The h2o body, however, is present mostly neglected, with mediocre upkeep undermining the intent of the project.

The Mavadikulam successful Ponmalaipatti, sprawling crossed 142 acres, continues to person bully retention capableness and has been utilized for irrigating cultivation fields for generations. However, weed maturation and the continued discharge of wastewater into the vessel person led to terrible pollution. Despite restoration projects being aimed astatine enhancing groundwater recharge and providing recreational spaces, inadequate attraction has diluted their impact.

In its 2025 Budget, the Corporation allocated ₹2 crore for redeveloping tanks astatine Kokkarasampettai and Ellakudi successful Ward 39. Additionally, ₹15 crore was earmarked for renovating each h2o bodies and undertaking a histrion plantation thrust to conserve water. However, these initiatives are yet to materialise.

Several large h2o bodies, including Panjapur Lake, Kothamangalam’s large and tiny tanks, Pirattiyur, Punganur, Malaipatti, and Kallikudi tanks, which were identified for redevelopment to augment the drinking h2o proviso and conscionable aboriginal demand, stay neglected.

“The Corporation makes large announcements and allocations during the Budget conscionable for the involvement of it, but determination is small effort connected the crushed to really renovate and conserve h2o bodies. Most tanks are neglected, utilized arsenic garbage dumps, and sewage is straight discharged into them, making them unfit adjacent for irrigation,” said biology activistic K.C. Neelamegam.

Corporation officials, however, admit the challenges, citing assets constraints and method hurdles.

According to Corporation Commissioner L. Madhubalan, encroachments on the banks of Kollankulam person been a large origin delaying progress. “Steps volition beryllium taken soon to relocate the houses situated connected the banks, aft which the redevelopment enactment volition resume,” helium said.