WATER WATER EVERYWHERE, BUT... : At 38 feet, the contaminated Orathupalayam Reservoir in Erode district is just two feet shy of overflowing.

ERODE: People of Orathupalayam and four other villages have requested the Collector, D. Karthikeyan, to seek Government order to drain the Orathupalayam Reservoir immediately.

As Tirupur dyers had let untreated effluents into River Noyyal, across which the Dam was constructed, over 10,000 acres in Orathupalayam and surrounding areas had been affected. Domestic and agricultural wells in these areas had also been contaminated.

Two feet to surplus

Villagers of Orathupalayam, Kodumanal, Ramalingapuram, Ramakaraiyampalayam and Siviyarpalayam said that water in the Reservoir stood at 38 feet, just two feet left for it to surplus.

Due to the recent rain, rainwater along with contaminated water was discharged from Tirupur.

Hundreds of dead fish were floating in the reservoir, emanating foul smell.

This posed a severe health hazard, the villagers said.

But villagers in Muthur, Kodumudi and Karur oppose the release of contaminated water, as they fear it will affect drinking water supply to over fifty villages.

The Collector asserts that "the Orathupalayam Reservoir will not overflow now and there is no danger immediately".

On the farmers' plea to drain contaminated water, he said that the issue had already been taken up with the Government, and a detailed report sent to the Public Works Department. A plan would be chalked out to drain the water after discussing the technical aspects.

All help would be rendered to affected farmers as per High Court directive, he said.

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