Plastic and other waste floating in the Chinna Eri in Thuraiyur in Tiruchi district.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Chinna Eri (small lake) in the heart of Thuraiyur continues to bear the brunt of urban pollution as flow of sewage into it continues unabated.
Visitors to Thuraiyur, especially those arriving at the bus stand in the town, are often taken aback by the stench emanating from the lake situated on the other side of the road.
Indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and discharge of sewage has long been the bane of the lake. In recent days, though it still has an ayacut area, the water in the lake is largely unfit for use even for irrigation purposes.
In recent days, the stench from the lake filled with sewage has been overpowering, complain residents. “The sewage from various parts of the town flow through open drains into the lake. The flow has to be stopped and a fence can be erected at vulnerable stretches to prevent dumping of waste into it,” said N. Saravanan, a resident.
The Thuraiyur Municipality is in the process of establishing a sewage treatment plant (STP) in the town. The foundation stone for the project was laid by K.N. Arun Nehru, MP, Perambalur, in January this year. The STP, with an installed capacity of treating three million litres of sewage water daily, is estimated to cost ₹9.5 crore.
The project is mainly aimed at preventing the untreated sewage flowing into the Chinna Eri.
However, a plan to rehabilitate and rejuvenate the lake, mooted by Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru, during an inspection in November 2024, is yet to take off. Mr. Nehru had directed the municipal officials to beautify the lake surroundings and develop it as a leisure spot.
A senior official of the Municipality, when contacted, said the civic body had forwarded a proposal to the government and was awaiting administrative sanction for executing the project.
Published – April 27, 2025 05:55 pm IST
