TIRUNELVELI: Ahead of an inspection by high court judges on November 10, the Tirunelveli corporation hastily began cleaning up Thamirabarani’s river banks on Friday. The cleaning operations, aimed at addressing sewage contamination in the river, were being carried out at various spots identified along the river.
The Thamirabarani, which is a vital drinking water source for people in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and parts of Virudhunagar districts, has been facing severe contamination issues for years as untreated sewage is being discharged into the river. In 2018, one Kamarasu from Muthalangurichi in Thoothukudi filed a petition in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, urging action to prevent contamination.
In March, the court ordered the authorities to take immediate steps to stop the discharge of sewage into the river, but the authorities allegedly delayed the implementation, resulting in a contempt petition being filed in the court. In response, Justices G R Swaminathan and B Pugalenthi decided to carry out an onsite inspection at areas where sewage discharge was found.
Expecting the inspection, the cleaning activities were started by the corporation at various locations, including parts of Kokkirakulam and Vannarpettai, which were identified as sources of contamination. Bare handed sanitation workers were seen cleaning the places.
The hasty cleaning driver has drawn flak from locals and environmental activists. They argue that the authorities, aware of the issue for years, failed to take timely action and are now acting because of the inspection by the judges. An official said sewage discharge into the river would be stopped gradually.