COIMBATORE: Residents of a tribal hamlet in Mangarai village, under the Veerapandi Panchayat in Coimbatore district, have raised serious concerns over severe soil erosion caused by a nearby wild stream, which they say poses an imminent threat to their homes.
The hamlet, inhabited by around 30 families belonging to the Irula tribal community, is located close to the stream, which is about 40 feet deep and becomes particularly dangerous during the monsoon.
Residents said repeated flash floods have washed away the earthen bunds that once separated the watercourse from the settlement, leaving the stream’s edge just a few metres from their houses.
“The stream earlier had a strong bund behind our hamlet, but successive floods have completely breached it,” said M Marimuthu (name changed), a resident. “The channel has widened considerably, and if the erosion continues unchecked, our houses could be washed away during the next spell of heavy rain,” he added.
The stream originates in the Mangarai hills and flows through Veerapandi, Thadagam and Kanuvai before entering Coimbatore city, where it is known as the Sanganoor canal. It eventually joins the Noyyal river as a tributary. During the rainy season, the stream carries surplus water that aids groundwater recharge in the Thadagam valley through a series of check dams. However, at Mangarai, the stream takes an S-shaped curve behind the hamlet, intensifying erosion along the bends.
Fearing further damage, residents have demanded the construction of a retaining wall measuring about 150 metres in length and 40 feet in depth to protect the settlement.
Several houses in the hamlet were constructed under various government housing schemes. Villagers warned that without timely intervention, even these newly built houses could be lost within a few years due to the advancing stream.
The residents alleged that despite submitting multiple petitions to the authorities, no action has been taken so far to address the issue.