TN: Legal action against panchayat officials dumping waste on Noyyal riverbank soon

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department (WRD) will soon take legal recourse against officials of the Irugar panchayat in Coimbatore for dumping waste in the banks of river Noyyal despite ban.

The WRD officials had earlier issued orders prohibiting the Irugur town panchayat from setting up a dumping yard on the riverbed at Kamatchipuram near Ondipudur in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu.

The farmers, who are beneficiaries of the water supplied from the Noyyal River basin, have informed the officials that a dumpyard was being set up on the riverbed and were protesting against it.

P. M. Sabapathy, a farmer cooperative movement leader at Kamatchipuram while speaking to IANS, said, "We have been protesting against the Irugur panchayat authorities for dumping waste in a space between the Noyyal River and Rajavaikkal which would pose a threat to the biodiversity of both the water bodies. We seriously fear that the place would become a dumping site once it is allowed to segregate waste."

He said that Irugur town panchayat manages more than two tonnes of garbage every day and added that if the dumping is allowed on Noyyal riverbanks, then the farming community would be deprived of water for agriculture affecting the entire populace of the region who are heavily dependent on farming and agriculture.

The farming community also sent letters to the Irugur panchayat officials reminding them that the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court had issued orders and directions to protect water courses. There were instructions from the Supreme Court not to undertake any work in areas that fall under the water course.

The area spread across 3 acres of land was a rich biodiversity source.

K. S. Selvaraj, a farmer leader of the area said officials from the Water Resources Department had sent letters to the Irugur panchayat officials but the panchayat commenced laying roads and started dumping waste in the riverbed.