Tamil Nadu: Farmers announce protest on Oct 2 as sewage pollutes Pamaniyaru

TIRUCHY: Claiming that the Pamaniyaru, the branch river of Vennar, reportedly stenches after the discharge of sewage by households all along the Mannargudi municipality, the farmers have announced a protest and closure of shops, demanding that the civic administration initiate steps to prevent the contamination.

The Pamaniyaru, which branches from Vennar at Needamangalam in Tiruvarur district, flows for around 60 kms through 100 villages and empties at Muthupettai seashore via the storage point at Thoppathanaveli check dam located at Keezhakadu village near Thambikottai in Muthupettai.

It is said that Thoppathanaveli check dam plays a crucial role in preventing the intrusion of seawater and ensuring the recharge of the groundwater. 

The water is also stored at the nearby Peruga Vazhanthaan check dam, which has been used for irrigation purposes for several thousand acres of land in Tiruvarur and water used to be discharged only during the floodings. While there is a check dam at Serangulam at Mannargudi in Tiruvarur, which plays a major role for irrigation in the Mannargudi taluk in the district

Such a crucial branch river has started to stench for the past few weeks, reportedly after the discharge of sewage from the households resulting into contamination of the storage at Serangulam check dam which is at the distance of 5 km from Mannargudi town.

According to M Sivaraman, an environmental activist, the Mannargudi Municipal administration has already executed the sewage treatment plant; the civic administration should ensure the sewage from households is not discharged directly into the Pamaniyaru, which would pose a threat to the environment and spoil the groundwater as well. Since the river is contaminated due to the mix-up of sewage, it would pose a threat to the cattle also, the environmentalists said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, PR Pandian, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Association, who visited the Serangulam check dam, said the Pamaniyaru plays a vital role as an irrigation and drinking water source for the residents from several villages near Muthupettai. 

The sewage discharge into the river should be immediately stopped, and the Mannargudi civic administration should ensure the household sewage is released properly through the treatment plant. 

“If the civic administration fails to ensure clean water flow into the Pamaniyaru, the farmers, residents, traders and environmental activists together would stage a protest on October 2 at Muthupettai. It would be an indefinite protest until the demand was fulfilled,” Pandian warned.