Corpn seeks comprehensive plan to restore Noyyal River

Coimbatore: Under the smart city project, the city corporation has invited tender for a detailed project report on how to restore a portion of Noyyal River.
The report should include ways to strengthen the riverbed, improve access to the river for pedestrians and cyclists, identify polluting factors and remedial measures to be taken. “About seven to eight kilometres of the river flows within the city limits. We want to revamp and restore those portions, so that water flows freely. It will also include cleaning and restoration of the main canals that take water from the river to the many water bodies in the city,” a senior corporation engineer said.

The bids should be submitted on January 21. The selected consultant will have four months to prepare the report, which should have a feasibility study, which includes a water management plan, a master plan for Noyyal River area with geocoding, assessment of environmental and social issues, biodiversity assessment, traffic plan and land use classification or pattern in and around the river area.

While some activists welcomed the river restoration initiative, others called it an eyewash. Unless the civic body comes up with a way to stop sewage and garbage contamination of the canals, no project can restore the historic river, they told TOI.

A plan to tackle sewage contamination should become the first priority, some environmentalists said. “With a master plan, we can remove encroachments from the lake areas and once a proper road comes on the both sides of the river, then dumping of garbage and pollutants will stop,” says R Raveendran of Residents Awareness Associations of Coimbatore. “However, it is critical that the two big canals that take water to the Ukkadam lake from Perur lake and Singanallur lake from Vellalore lake, are cleaned, desilted and removed of sewage inlets.”

R Manikandan of Kovai Kulangal Padhukaapu Amaippu agreed, saying that stopping sewage contamination of even the smaller canals that take water from one lake to another is critical. “Sewage contamination must be stopped at every level. Instead of creating roads on both sides of the river, the revenue land allotted for the river should be converted into green patches. Instead of building compound walls along the lakes, they should create a mud ramp, allowing the lakes to interact with the green patch on the bunds. This will help revive the ecosystem,” he said.

Vanitha Mohan, managing trustee of Siruthuli, said local bodies should stop dumping of garbage into lakes and canals. “This has led to the channels carrying water getting chocked. The Krishnampathy lake is filled with bottles and plastic waste,” she said. “ Also, instead of a single consultant preparing the DPR, the report should be prepared after conducting workshops attended by stakeholders, including experts.”