ERODE: Political parties, voluntary organisations and residents a have planned to stage a hunger strike protest in front of the Public Works Department office in Bhavanisagar on March 24 to demand steps to prevent pollution of the Bhavani River.
The protest has been planned on the day when the debate on the demand for grants for the Public Works Department will be taken up in the state assembly.
S Mohankumar, district secretary of CPI and member of Bhavani River Conservation Movement, said, “The Bhavani river is a major source of drinking water and agriculture for Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode and Karur districts. Industrial effluent flows into the river unchecked and in several places the colour of water has changed and a foul smell emanates from the river. This should not continue.”
“We will sit on a hunger strike protest in front of the PWD office in Bhavanisagar on March 24, when demand for grants for the department will be taken up in the assembly. We hope to draw the government’s attention regarding the issue through the protest,” he added.The outfit will hold a three-day awareness campaign about the protest in Bhavanisagar and Sathyamangalam.
A senior officer in the Water Resources Department said, “Local bodies are major contributors to pollution of rivers. We have sent recommendations to the state government stating local bodies should set up Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) under the ‘Nadanthai Vaazhi Cauvery’ scheme.”
Officiers in the Coimbatore office of TNPCB did not respond to TNIE’s calls for comments.