Forum working to beautify canal

Coimbatore: Raja Vaikal, the canal that feeds the Chinnavedampatti lake and also serves as a source of irrigation, is one of the most important channels in the district. While there have been efforts to desilt and de-clog it, a group of environmental enthusiasts have undertaken the work to clean it, beautify it and make it a protected zone.
Members of Thudiyalur-based forum Restoring Nature had been working to clean the canal every Sundays for three weeks. They conducted a complete survey of the canal from Kanuvai to Chinnavedampatti lake, about 12km, said M Kamesh, a member of the forum. “We removed garbage including discarded liquor bottles from the canal. We are working towards beautifying it and making it a protected zone.”

The forum has drafted a plan to beautify and protect the canal. “We plan to set up walkways along the canal so that it would be a community space. We will also form barricades to prevent people from dumping waste into the water body. The work is expected to take a year to complete,” Kamesh added.