Project to save Noyyal ...

Courtesy - "THE HINDU" dated Oct 15, 2006.

* Project to revive Noyyal gets advisory panel of experts
* Encroachments removed with Siruthuli's help Encroachments removed; PWD to install gauges to assess flow
* Experts visit Kooduthurai, the origin of the river
* They go along the course to study its condition

COIMBATORE: Siruthuli, a public initiative for conservation of water sources, has formed an advisory committee to implement a project for reviving the Noyyal here.

The nine-member committee has experts from non-governmental organisations, the Public Works Department, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) and Bharathiar University. They visited Kooduthurai, the origin of the river, on Saturday. They went along its course to study the condition of the river along with Vanita Mohan, managing trustee of Siruthuli.

Ms. Mohan told reporters that the first phase of revival, from Kooduthurai to Singanallur tank in the city (40 km), would be in two stages. The first would be up to Perur. Till this point the river was clean.

Beyond this, effluents and sewage polluted the river. Siruthuli planned to revive the entire 160-km river course up to Noyyal in Erode where it joins the Cauvery. `Noyyalukku Nooru', a fund-raising programme, had helped to mobilise Rs.60 lakh.

The committee consists of K. Elangovan, Superintending Engineer of the Public Works Department's Water Resources Organisation, Coimbatore; K. Palanisamy, Director, the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development for Students, TNAU; R.K. Sivanappan, former university faculty and water expert; Laxmana Perumal Samy of Bharathiar University; D.K. Manavalan, Executive Director, Action for Food Production, New Delhi; C. Vijayakumar of AFPRO; K.M. Namboodiri, Senior Technical Advisor of AREED; C. Udayashankar, Advisor of Natural Resources Management, Centre for World Solidarity; Joe S. D'Souza of Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems; and A. Raja Mohammed, a Karaikudi-based geophysicist.

Mr. Elangovan said the PWD would install water gauges at various points to assess the flow. The river's boundaries on either side would be marked. Encroachments had been removed with Siruthuli's help.

Mr. Namboodiri said there was a long gap between the previous study on the river (conducted in the late 1970s) and what was being done now. Many activities detrimental to the river had happened. Serious intervention was possible only after the data was collected. The idea of involving the community would be discussed.

Mr. Namboodiri said Siruthuli must start advising policy makers on water use and conservation. The Noyyal project was "not an exercise based on emotions but was a scientific approach."

Mr. Udayashankar said groundwater should be made common property to curb excess drawal by individuals. A State water policy would provide guidelines for community use of water.

Mr. Manavalan said time was ripe to involve the community in the project. Ms. Mohan said those who used more water had the responsibility of replenishment. The success of the first stage would inspire the second one that required a different strategy to tackle pollution.