STP work at lake in Coimbatore suspended after residents' protest

COIMBATORE: Construction of a sewage treatment plant (STP) at Chinnavedampatti Lake has been temporarily suspended after more than 100 residents gathered at the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation's public grievance meeting on Tuesday to oppose the project.

Following strong objections from residents, farmers and other stakeholders, Corporation Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja assured the gathering that he would conduct an on-site inspection within a week and announced that construction would remain suspended until then.

During the grievance meeting, residents submitted around 80 petitions to Mayor R Ranganayaki and the Commissioner, urging the Corporation to abandon the proposed STP at the lake. The project has been facing sustained opposition, with residents and farmers staging a hunger strike in recent days demanding that it be scrapped or shifted to another location.

The petitioners argued that the proposed facility could contaminate groundwater, create public health concerns, lead to loss of biodiversity and compromise the lake's future potential to store fresh water. They reiterated their demand that the project be relocated.

Responding to the concerns, Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja said the STP was being constructed in compliance with a court order. However, he assured the residents that he would personally inspect the site within the week and confirmed that construction would remain on hold until the inspection was completed. The assurance brought the protest to a close, with the residents dispersing after the meeting.