COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) is preparing to commence construction of a proposed tertiary sewage treatment plant (STP) near the Chinnavedampatti Lake, despite sustained opposition from local residents, farmers and environmental activists. Civic officials are likely to begin the work with police protection in the coming days, sources said.
The development comes after a peace committee meeting was convened on Tuesday by officials of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board and the Revenue Department following a recent Madras High Court order. Representatives of the Chinnavedampatti Lake Protection Association, farmers, local residents and social activists participated in the discussions, but no consensus was reached.
The proposed STP forms part of the underground drainage (UGD) project being executed by the TWAD Board on behalf of the CCMC in Kavundampalayam, Thudiyalur, Vadavalli, Veerakeralam, Saravanampatti and Vellakinar areas. The corporation plans to establish a tertiary treatment plant near the lake and discharge highly treated wastewater into the waterbody.
According to the corporation, the facility is expected to treat about 19 million litres of sewage per day using tertiary treatment technology, making it the city's first plant of its kind. Civic officials have maintained that the treated water would meet prescribed environmental standards and that similar reuse projects have been implemented in several cities to address water scarcity and augment water resources.
However, residents and environmental groups argue that the lake is one of the few remaining freshwater bodies in the region and fear that introducing treated sewage could affect groundwater quality, agriculture and the lake's fragile ecosystem. They have also questioned the corporation's track record in preventing sewage pollution in other water bodies and have sought greater transparency regarding the treatment process and water quality standards.
V S Kalisamy, president of the Chinnavedampatti Lake Protection Association, said the association reiterated its opposition during Tuesday's meeting. He alleged that when the Water Resources Department handed over maintenance of the lake to the corporation, it had stipulated that no encroachment or permanent construction should be permitted within the lake premises.
"We made our position clear. The corporation is proceeding with the project despite public opposition and in violation of several norms. Since we did not accept the proposal, officials informed us that they would consult the collector before taking a final decision. We are also planning to challenge the issue through an appeal before the court," he told TNIE.
Meanwhile, CCMC Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja rebuked the TWAD board officials over conducting a peace committee meeting for a CCMC project without informing him or the civic body officials.
