The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Erode News : Demand for ban on fishing in Orathupalayam reservoir

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 13, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Erode

Demand for ban on fishing in Orathupalayam reservoir

By Our Staff Reporter

ERODE, SEPT. 12. Orathupalayam villagers have demanded a ban on fishing in the reservoir. In a memorandum to the Collector, D. Karthikeyan, on Saturday, the villagers said that though after the release of .280 tmcft of water from the reservoir, contamination level is still present. They said that fishing still continues and are sold in Orathupalayam and Chennimalai markets.

The villagers said the fishes collected from the reservoir were harmful to the health.

They also demanded the release of the remaining water in the reservoir and desilt it as per the High Court instruction.

The reservoir was built in 1992 to store .550 tmcft of water to cater the irrigational needs of Erode and Karur district farmers. But due to large scale mushrooming of textile industries in Tirupur, the industries started discharging untreated effluent into the Noyyal River, which reaches in Orathupalayam reservoir, causing hardship to the villagers.

Because of the contaminated water storage in the reservoir, thousands of acres of land in the village have been affected. A committee headed by Justice P. Baskaran ordered the Tirupur textile manufacturers to grant compensation to the farmers.

The Madras HC also ordered the Erode District administration to desilt the reservoir.

Mr. Karthikeyan said that the desilting process would take some more time as the water from the reservoir had to be drained. The work would be entrusted to the PWD.

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