Strongly opposed when 'DMK was in opposition' ... Regime change ... Continued work in Coimbatore ponds ...

The Government of Tamil Nadu has announced that 18 dams and 22 ponds in Coimbatore will be dredged and rehabilitated under the Rs. 230 crore Noyyal River Expansion, Rehabilitation and Modernization Project. As a part of this, concrete wall work is being carried out on the banks of the ponds at Achankulam, Pallapalayam, Kannampalayam and Vellaloor since August last year.

Ecological activists have warned that the complete removal of reed grasses and shrubs along the coast during these works will affect the biodiversity of the ponds. But regardless, the work continued.

Following that, Pollachi DMK MP. Speaking in Parliament on September 19, K.Shanmugasundaram said, 'Pools in Coimbatore are being rehabilitated in an emergency. The Government of Tamil Nadu is continuously in the process of destroying water bodies with concrete stones and concrete solutions, ”he said.

Later, DMK MLA Udayanithi Stalin, who arrived in Coimbatore on October 27, inquired in person about the environmental impact of the ongoing concrete mixing work inside Periyakulam, Perur.

The origin of the disease is in the Thondamuthur block in the Western Ghats. Therefore, the party's environmental team state secretary Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, who contested the last assembly elections on behalf of the DMK in that constituency, said in his election manifesto, 'The Noyyal River, its ecology and biodiversity will be scientifically aligned without being affected. Laying concrete on the sides of the pond will be avoided, ”he promised.

Ecological activists lament that despite the change of government since then, work has now begun on laying concrete floors at Pudukulam, Kolarampathy, Chottaiyandi Kuttai near Perur, Kanganarayana Samudra, Chengulam and Sulur ponds.

The act of destroying pools

Vanitha Mohan, Managing Trustee, Siruthuli, said, "Every year foreign birds migrate to the Coimbatore ponds. The ponds will only survive if there is natural biodiversity in the ponds. The process of setting them up is ruining them.

The black stones must be embedded

Thirunavukarasu, a retired civil engineer, said, "There is a way for the government to intervene and change the old contract that was put in place to rehabilitate the ponds. In that change, instead of laying concrete on the shore, it is enough to lay the black stones. The black stones will last for a long time."

Will be brought to the attention of the State

According to the Public Works Department, work is underway to construct a concrete silo on the banks of the Coimbatore ponds as per the existing plan.

DMK Environment Team State Secretary Karthikeya Sivasenapathy said, 'Laying concrete in a pond is not the right approach. I have spoken about this many times during the election. But, unexpectedly, the bridge between Coimbatore and the state was politically lost. However, the construction of concrete banks in the ponds will be brought to the attention of the government, ”he said.