Farmers seek to explore possibilities of supplying surplus water from River Bhavani to Chinnavedampatti Lake

Farmers and local residents near Chinnavedampatti Lake in Coimbatore, represented by the Chinnavedampatti Eri Padukappu Vivasayigal Sangam, have urged authorities to explore the possibility of supplying surplus water from River Bhavani to the lake, while opposing a proposed sewage treatment plant (STP) that would release treated water into it.

Vellakinar Kalisamy, president of the Sangam, recalled that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, during his 2021 election campaign at Thudiyalur bus stand, had assured that the lake would be filled with water from the Bhavani. He said the 200-acre lake, created in the 1980s to store freshwater from the Western Ghats, depends on a check dam at Kanuvai and an eight-kilometre supply channel. In the recent years, he added, rainfall has declined and the lake has stopped receiving inflow.

The Coimbatore Corporation plans to build a 9.9 MLD STP as part of its underground drainage project, with the treated water proposed to be released into the lake. The Sangam opposed the plan, citing pollution risks and doubts over the STP’s efficiency.

In a special meeting held recently, the Sangam, along with farmers, land contributors, and local residents, passed resolutions urging authorities to drop the STP plan, explore the possibility of supplying surplus water from the Bhavani to the lake, and compensate the few farmers who have not yet received payment.

A senior official familiar with the project, however, said the possibility of supplying surplus water from the Bhavani is low and added that the STP would not harm the environment.