DHARMAPURI: Residents of Harur have urged the district administration to take steps to set up a boathouse and children’s park in the vicinity of Periya Eri.
Periya Eri is one of the key water bodies near the town panchayat. The lake covers over 150 acres and generates water for over 2,000 acres of agricultural land in the taluk. However, over the years, rampant dumping of plastic and organic waste has increased the lake’s pollution level. Hence, to conserve the lake, the residents have urged the officials to take steps to set up a boathouse and children’s park around it.
R Kaliappan, a resident of Harur, said, “Periya eri is a source of freshwater. Over the years, water from butcher shops, plastic waste from the town panchayat, and construction waste have been dumped here. Hence, if this is left unchecked, the lake would gradually die, and farmlands depending on this lake would also be affected. So, efforts must be taken to conserve the lake, and the best way to protect the lake is by promoting tourism.”
S Ravi, another resident of Harur, said, “A lot of people spend time with their families near Periya eri. By establishing a boat house, a children’s park, and even a garden would automatically promote tourism.”
He added, “Recently, the state government has promoted Harur as a municipality, and parks would be a beneficial source of revenue for the municipal administration. By setting up walkways along the lake, it could turn into a jogging and morning walk area as well. So, there are many advantages of promoting this lake.”
When TNIE contacted the district tourism officer, they were not reachable.