Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Can the Singanallur lake be cleaned up?

Pankaja Srinivasan

`It is a daunting task, but it can be done'

RUN AGROUND: A steady inflow of sewage is the major cause of water hyacinth in Singanallur tank. — Photo: M. Periasamy

Coimbatore: How would you like a lake, spread over 263 acres in the city, that is flanked by a walkway and a path for cyclists? Imagine birds chirping, leaves rustling and a soft breeze blowing as you take your morning constitution, or go boating. This could be the Singanallur lake for real.

But today this is a distant dream as nearly 20 million litres of smelly sewage flows into the lake every day. Unmindful of the health hazard, children are often found fishing in these waters. Frothy white bubbles are a dead giveaway that the drain receives a generous share of effluents as well.

Effluents from goldsmith workshops, electroplating workshops and a host of small industries in and around the area empty itself into the Singanallur lake. It is a daunting task, but it can be done, says Mr. M. Ramakrishnan, Project Co-ordinator, Siruthuli. A plant to treat the sewage before it enters the lake has to be set up.

This requires around two acres of land (government land is available). This will run into crores, but once the Corporation and the PWD and other concerned authorities chip in and set it up, then maintaining the lake will not be difficult. Elsewhere at Vaalankulam tank, experts have estimated that once a treatment plant is in place, the cost of maintaining it will be approximately Rs. 6,000 a day. Corporates could maintain the tank by turns. The same thing could be done with Singanallur.

A Corporation official says plans are afoot to clean up Singanallur lake. It is already included in the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Development Programme. The Corporation is seeking expert opinion on this matter. Detailed proposals and estimates will be drawn out and tenders will be floated. Only it will take time. He says the aim is to have a prototype of the Queen's Necklace right here in Coimbatore. Only, instead of the Arabian Sea, it will be the Singanallur lake that the necklace will grace.

The benefits

While Siruvani provides 70 - 72 million litres a day (mld) and Pilloor 60 mld to the city, there is in addition almost an equal amount of groundwater is being drawn out and not being replenished. If sewage that is being led into Singanallur lake is treated, then builders, contractors etc who require a lot of water can use this treated, non-potable water for building purposes (10-15 mld of water would be saved this way). This would ease the burden on the corporation and would also rein in the depletion of the groundwater that would also improve in quality.

Singanallur lake could become a getaway for recreation-starved Coimbatoreans. Cleaning up the water would improve boating facilities (water hyacinth that chokes the lake today thrives on sewage), trees could be planted, and walkways could be constructed. This would attract more birds and enrich the environment.

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