Coimbatore: A forum of social activists and residents’ association representatives have joined hands to protest against the alleged move to draw water from river Bhavani for various water projects to Coimbatore and Tirupur.
The forum - Mettupalayam Drinking Water Protection Committee - has called upon traders in Mettupalayam for a strike on December 4 to show their opposition to the state government’s move to pump water from Bhavani river.
The committee members said that there was severe water shortage in places like Mettupalayam, Sirumugai, Karamadai. Though river Bhavani flows in these places, the households located there get drinking water supplied only once in several days. In this backdrop, there are plans to draw water for Tirupur fourth drinking water scheme from upstream Bhavani. Another drinking water project for Coimbatore is also on the anvil with Bhavani as the source.
“These projects will aggravate water shortage in Mettupalayam, take ground water level further down and affect farmers. The projects would not benefit much for residents of Coimbatore and Tirupur too once water level goes down at the source in Mettupalayam,’’ the committee members said.