COIMBATORE: PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday urged the state and central governments to revive the Noyyal river by allocating Rs 10,000 crore.

The PMK leader, who was on a statewide tour to Coimbatore, as part of his ‘Tamilaga Makkal Urimai Meetpu Payanam’ (Tamil Nadu People’s Rights Recovery Tour), said that rejuvenating the river, which runs for a stretch of 180 km through Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, and Karur districts, would irrigate two lakh acres.

“The river, which once remained an elixir, has now turned into drainage due to the letting of effluents from industries and houses, for over the last 60 years. Ever since the DMK came to power in 1967, several rivers, including the Cooum, Vaigai, Thamirabarani River, and Noyyal, have been severely ruined.

By allowing pollution, the state government is murdering these rivers. It is our responsibility to protect and hand them over to the next generation. A recent study has indicated that 10 percent of people living on the banks of the Noyyal River are suffering from cancer,” he said.

Meanwhile, P Gandhi Rajan, president of the Dyers Association of Tirupur, refuted charges that Noyyal was polluted by untreated effluents from dyeing units.

“Tirupur, which has 18 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and over 100 private treatment plants, has successfully implemented zero liquid discharge (ZLD) and saves 10 crore litre of water daily through recycling and thereby prevented pollution of Noyyal River,” he said to the media in Tirupur.