COIMBATORE: Following a petition by local farmers, the Madras High Court has issued an interim stay restraining the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) from storing treated sewage water in the Chinnavedampatti Lake.
The issue traces back to a promise made by Chief Minister MK Stalin during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, when he assured voters that surplus water from the Bhavani River would be diverted to replenish the Chinnavedampatti Lake. However, the Corporation later proposed a different plan, to treat sewage collected from surrounding areas and reuse it by supplying 50% of the treated water to industries, while storing the remaining 50% in the lake. Government orders were issued, funds were allocated, and preliminary works were initiated.
Farmers in the region strongly opposed the move, insisting that only rainwater should be stored in the lake and not treated wastewater, citing concerns over soil health, groundwater contamination, and long-term ecological impact.
With no response from authorities, Kalichamy, coordinator of the Chinnavedampatti Lake Protection Committee, approached the Madras High Court. He alleged that the sewage treatment plant was being constructed without obtaining mandatory permission from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
After hearing the matter, the judges directed the CCMC to clarify whether pollution control approvals had been obtained and strictly instructed that no construction should proceed without such clearance. The Corporation has been asked to file its response.
When the case came up for hearing on Monday, the Water Resources Department sought time to respond, following which the matter was adjourned for two weeks.