ERODE: The Tamil Nadu Drinking Water and Drainage Board (TWAD) has stated that groundwater in 25 villages under Chennimalai Panchayat Union in Erode district is not suitable for drinking.
Social activists blamed the discharge of untreated sewage from the factories of the SIPCOT complex in Perundurai for the water pollution.
Collector S Kandasamy told TNIE that the affected villages are already being provided with river water through joint drinking water projects and the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) to be built by the government will solve the issue.
Amid public complaints on the pollution, the TWAD has sent a letter, dated March 7, to the Chennimalai Block Development Officer (BDO) confirming water pollution.
Water samples were collected from 37 locations in Mukasi Pidariyur, Vaipadi, Varapalayam, and Ingur village panchayats under the Chennimalai block and tested in the laboratory, the letter states.
The tests revealed that the groundwater in those locations is not suitable for drinking. Therefore, notice boards should be placed at these places and steps should be taken to prevent electric motors from being operated. Also, the public should use only the drinking water provided through the joint drinking water schemes in those areas, the letter further states.
In particular, the samples were collected from the villages of Arthanaripalayam, TMM Puram, Kanakkan Kadu, Elayampalayam, Sanarpalayam, Kallimedu, Thottathu Pudur, Vaipadi Kaspa, Vaipadi Pudur, Kongampalayam, Moonampalli, Pachankattur, Sadankattur, Varapalayam, E Kuttapalayam AD Colony, Ezhuthingalpatti, Goundanur AD Colony, Ingur, Kasipillampalayam, Nalli Goundanpalayam, Pulavanur, Saravapathi AD Colony, Chenkulam, Uchagoundanpalayam and Velayudhampalaim.
A social activist from Chennimalai P Tamilselvan alleged apart from factories of SIPCOT complex some dyeing houses in Chennimalai discharge untreated sewage into water bodies.
"We have been urging the government to take action to prevent this," he added.
Speaking to TNIE, S Kandasamy, Collector of Erode, said, "Drinking water is already being supplied to those villages through joint drinking water schemes. Therefore, there is no drinking water crisis in those villages. Along with this, awareness has been created among the villagers that groundwater should be used only for domestic use."
"The government is currently in the process of constructing a CETP in Perundurai at a cost of Rs 130 crore. Recently, the Chief Minister inaugurated the work for this. This project will provide a solution to this," the Collector added.