THOOTHUKUDI: The condition of Thamirabarani river is critical and it is in intensive care unit (ICU) due to severe pollution, conservation expert Rajendra Singh, who has been appointed as by the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court to study pollution of the river said on Monday.
Talking to reporters after inspecting the river and collecting water samples from several places in the district, Rajendra Singh, popularly known as the Waterman, said “The civic body itself discharges wastewater into the Thamirabarani river directly and dumps waste along its banks. It shows the failure of the government to conserve the water body.”
Stating that the river’s course must not be altered from its natural path, Singh said there should be more sand vents in the Srivaikundam anicut to avoid siltation and that river sand should reach the ocean.
Earlier in the day, Singh inspected the river at Murappanadu, Srivaikuntam anaicut, Alwarthirunagari, Eral, Authoor, and Punnakayal and took note of the spots where wastewater flows into the river in Srivaikuntam, Alwarthirunagar, and Authoor.
At Murapanadi, residents complained that the check dam obstructs the flow of water which causes stagnation and contamination. Singh also visited the areas affected by the flood in December 2023, including Arampannai, Kaniyan colony, and the waste dumping site in Srivaikuntam.
Singh interacted with people with the help of translators He was accompanied by Muthalankurichi Kamarasu, an activist on whose petition the court ordered the inspection. Singh would submit his report to the court within a month.