COIMBATORE: Whirrs of heavy machinery and smokestacks have concreted Coimbatore’s identity as an industrial titan. Celebrated for a progressive entrepreneurial spirit, its contributions to a bustling economy and affinity for a slow-paced life are a tale known to many. Yet, the environmental toll of this rapidly urbanising industrial centre has become an undeniable weight.
Luckily, for Vanitha Mohan, the measure of growth is not lost in the ledgers. Instead, it lies in the ripples of a restored lake and the soft rustle of a nurtured forest. A renowned septuagenarian activist in Coimbatore, she has spent her life reclaiming what the city’s nature looks like. Alongside a growing army of conscious citizens, she has spent decades healing the earth, reviving groundwater, and planting the seeds of conservation in the hearts of the next generation.
Siruthuli Trust, an initiative led by Vanitha Mohan, has planted over 10 lakh trees across 499 acres of public and private land over the past 23 years. Under her leadership, restoration drives have helped conserve over 23 billion litres of water. They have restored 25 check dams, nine feeder canals, 51 ponds, 25 lakes and 1,000 rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS). Presently, to improve groundwater availability, Siruthuli, with support from the district administration, is engaged in desilting three anicuts — Kilchithirai Chavadi, Pudukkadu and Masaorambu — at different parts of the district. Once desilting is complete, the groundwater will benefit more than 1,000 farmers.
“We talk about the rising price of gold, but a time will come when water will be valued more. However, it will be too late then,” the visionary said. “Currently, Coimbatore has around 17% tree cover, far below the ideal 33% forest cover target. Unchecked construction has halved green cover in many areas, directly affecting groundwater recharge.”
Vanitha Mohan’s environmental consciousness was shaped in her school days by her father, who often cited the efficient and effective water conservation techniques adopted by Israel despite having limited resources. “While Israel has successfully conserved water to maximise their agricultural output, he always questioned why India and Tamil Nadu, which definitely have better access to water are unable to emulate the same?”
Inspired, she began restoring lakes near Palamalai in Periyanaickenpalayam when the region faced a severe water crisis in the 1990s. After a decade of efforts, groundwater levels around the restored ponds improved significantly, letting agriculture thrive in the region.
Fascinated by this, a few eco-conscious citizens of Coimbatore, led by Dr SV Balasubramaniam, Chairman of Bannari Amman Group, Dr RV Ramani, Founder of Sankara Eye Foundation, Ravi Sam, Managing Director of Adwaith Lakshmi Textiles, senior Advocate N V Nagasubramaniam and Kanaklal Abhaichand, along with Vanitha Mohan, came together to establish the Siruthuli Trust. The team’s mission was to alleviate water stress in Coimbatore with the support of a few corporates, such as the Bannari Amman Group, Lakshmi Machine Works, ELGI and Pricol.
Despite criticism regarding the feasibility of removing encroachments during the 2003 restoration of Krishnampathi Lake, Siruthuli persevered with a singular goal: bringing water back to Coimbatore. Guided by India’s ‘Waterman,’ Dr Rajendra Singh, they cleared the feeder channels, allowing water to flow into the lake once more.
After this, they shifted their focus to Valankulam Lake. Interestingly, it was once used by the Navy for sailing practice as the water was clean, but later it had been reduced to a dump with encroachments and unchecked sewage discharge.
“Protecting lakes is not the sole responsibility of the administration or the government. Preventing sewage discharge, stopping garbage dumping, and planting trees near homes are all responsibilities that lie with every citizen,” she emphasised.
Sharing her vision of the future, the activist said, “People want our city to become clean and beautiful like Singapore. I hope for a future where Singaporeans will say that Singapore should become like Coimbatore. It should become a city renowned for sustainable water management and environmental responsibility.”
She highlighted how in Singapore, treated sewage water is so clean that it is reused for drinking after advanced purification. Though expensive, such measures demonstrate the value placed on water security. “Our wealth is our population,” Vanitha said. “If managed responsibly, all waste generated by the population can be converted into energy for public use.”
The Siruthuli Trust has received the Abdul Kalam Seva Ratna Award from the Dalai Lama at an event held in Chennai in 2015 for reviving waterbodies, the Nanneri Chemmal Award in 2016 from Nanneri Kazhagam, best NGO award for 2022 from former Governor R N Ravi in the environment category during the 74th Republic Day celebration at Raj Bhavan, and the One World One Family Global Leadership Award 2025. This is in addition to the state government’s recognition of Siruthuli’s impactful work, for which the Chief Minister MK Stalin presented an award at Chennai on January 19, 2026. The trust has also undertaken several projects in Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Karur, Erode, Cuddalore, and Chennai.
Through her work, Vanitha Mohan continues to prove that age is no barrier when the mission is to safeguard nature for posterity. “We should not be mere consumers, but also contributors. Every individual must take responsibility, whether it is to plant trees or to save every drop of the elixir of life.”
(Edited by Rohith Sony)