COIMBATORE: Mettupalayam observed a partial bandh on Friday to protest the Tamil Nadu government’s move to draw water from the Bhavani river for Coimbatore Corporation’s Pillur III drinking water scheme and Tirupur’s fourth drinking water scheme.
Activists and residents staged a protest near Mettupalayam bus stand. Several shops were closed.
The government has already been drawing water for 17 drinking water schemes from the Bhavani river.
"They are now planning to also draw water for Coimbatore Corporation’s Pillur III drinking water scheme and Tirupur’s fourth drinking water scheme which require 295 million litre per day and 195 million litre per day respectively. The new drinking water schemes would affect the flow of the river especially during the summer season,” said T R Rangasamy of the Mettupalayam Drinking Water Protection Committee, a forum comprising activists and residents has called for the strike.
The river's water level should be 22 million cubic feet to provide water to the new drinking water schemes. However, the water flow in the river is much lesser according to an RTI reply, he said.
“The government should draw water from the backwaters of Bhavanisagar dam for both the drinking water schemes,” he added.