Railings installed to prevent waste dumping in Kalingarayan Canal

To prevent indiscriminate dumping of waste into the historic 742-year-old Kalingarayan Canal, the Water Resources Department (WRD) has installed railings at three locations in the city.

Originating from the right side of the Kalingarayan anicut at Mettunasuvampalayam in Bhavani, the canal runs for 91.10 km, irrigating 15,743 acres in the district before joining River Noyyal at Kodumudi. Over the years, discharge of effluents from textile processing units and the dumping of household, poultry, and plastic waste have severely polluted the canal, diminishing its ecological and historical significance.

Although a baby canal was constructed along the main channel to carry industrial effluents, dumping in the main canal continued unabated. To curb this, the WRD has now installed railings with gates at K.A.S. Nagar, Kuilan Thoppu, and Vendipalayam, locations identified as major dumping points.

“Tractors, bullock carts, and two-wheelers were earlier used to transport and dump waste into the canal. The new railings prevent vehicles from reaching the canal,” a WRD official said. The gates have been locked to restrict vehicular access. The official added that the department was taking several steps to prevent pollution and sought cooperation from the public and farmers to help restore the canal’s past glory.