To check the uncontrollable flow of domestic sewage into the Tamirabharani, which is meeting drinking water needs of people of three southern districts, the Corporation has embarked upon constructing partial treatment plants at 10 places closer to the river.
This is only a temporary arrangement as the completion of ongoing second and the third phases of the underground drainage (UGD) scheme is expected to provide everlasting solution to this nauseating issue that is seriously contaminating the perennial river.
After being polluted by some of the devotees visiting Sri Papanasa Swamy Temple as they dump their dresses in the Tamirabharani upon taking bath as it touches the ground from the Western Ghats at Papanasam, domestic effluent is discharged by the local bodies en-route even as a few industries are also discharging the waste water into the river.
On entering Tirunelveli city limits, stream of sewage mixes up with the river at several places that drove the Corporation to think of executing UGD scheme as part of its liquid waste management programme. Subsequently, execution of the scheme’s first phase was taken-up in 2007 on an outlay of Rs. 52.26 crore which was jointly shared by the Central and the State Governments and also by the Corporation.
The Corporation, which completed the first phase, had signed an agreement with Larsen and Toubro to execute the second phase of the project at a cost of ₹289.01 crore. Once the second phase is over, it will be able to give 90,818 UGD connections for the benefit of 2,14,850 individuals in wards 1 - 7, 39 - 55 and part of ward 38.
When the first phase of the scheme was implemented, 10 wards – 13, 20, 21, 23, 24 (Palayamkottai zone) and 28, 30 to 33 (Melapalayam) were covered while nine wards in Thatchanallur, seven in Palayamkottai, six in Melapalayam and 13 in Tirunelveli were partially covered.
In the second phase, 24 wards will be covered fully and ward 38 partially.
In the third phase, to be executed at a cost of ₹440.19 crore, 18 wards will be covered fully and 13 wards partially.
As 50 % cost of this ₹729.20-crore project, meant for the second and third phases, will be borne by the Central government under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Scheme.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has established a few partial treatment plants near the Tamirabharani at 10 places on an outlay of ₹37.13 lakh to treat the domestic sewage, now flowing directly into the river, which is the source of drinking water for the 5 lakh population living within the Corporation limits and also in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar districts.
“As per this scheme, we’re creating the partial treatment plants at Kailaasapuram (₹4.95 lakh), Sindhupoondurai (₹1.98 lakh), Kokkirakulam (₹70,000), Mariamman Temple Street in Kokkirakulam (₹1.50 lakh), Meenakshipuram (₹5 lakh), Anna Street in Meenakshipuram (₹5 lakh), Kurukkuthurai (₹5 lakh), Vannnarpettai (₹4 lakh), Valayapathi Street (₹4 lakh) and Udaiyaarpatti (₹5 lakh),” G. Kannan, Corporation Commissioner, said.
While construction of the treatment plants has been completed at Kailaasapuram, Sindhupoondurai, Kokkirakulam and Meenakshipuram, the structures will be ready within a fortnight.
The treated sewage water from these plants will be clear and can be used for nourishing vegetables to be cultivated near the treatment plants, Mr. Kannan said.