Citizen forum campaigns to prevent encroachments on waterbodies

Environmentalist Piyush Manush, along with other volunteers from Salem Citizen’s Forum, is cycling around the Directorate office as well as other areas in Salem, with photo documentation of encroachment of water bodies. This campaign, demanding action towards protecting the state’s water bodies, will soon reach Chennai, documenting the encroachment issues faced in several districts. 

Piyush pointed out that despite repeated petitions to the administration, there was no action to protect the lakes and waterbodies from encroachment and pollution. “We have been working on this issue for the past few years. After the floods, there is an increased awareness on the importance of protecting our waterbodies. But even after such a catastrophe, the officials have still not learnt their lesson. The lakes here are filled with plastic trash and encroachments are still taking place,” he noted, adding that lake areas are being sold instead of being protected. 

Salem Citizen’s Forum has restored several water bodies in Salem. This inaction prompted Piyush and the other volunteers to act. “We started cycling around the directorate office from January 21 onwards, from 10 am to 5 pm. We have photo messages of the encroachments that have taken place in Ismail Khan Eri, Mookaneri and many other waterbodies. So far, the residents have been very supportive but we have not received any response from the officials. But our wheels will only stop when the State’s wheels start moving,” he said, passionately. 

Piyush plans to cycle from Salem to Chennai. “We want to cycle across the districts, collecting data on the state of the waterbodies and encroachments. We are only requesting our elected state representatives to enforce the laws that are already in place,” he concluded.