Krishnampathy tank in Coimbatore to get a sewage treatment plant

Following heavy rain in the city last week, waste from surrounding areas accumulated in the water body near the Sugarcane Breeding Institute. Frothing was reported in the water body at the point where it joins Narasampathy tank, said a worker

Krishnampathy tank, one of the major water bodies in Coimbatore city, may soon get a respite from pollution caused by untreated sewage.

Corporation Commissioner M. Prathap said the tank, being beautified under the Smart Cities Mission, would get a sewage treatment plant (STP). He said the civic body was aware of the extent of pollution in the tank.

“There are seven drains that discharge water into this tank. So far, there is no dedicated facility to treat waste water. Now, an STP to process two million litres of waste water per day would be constructed near the ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute. Funds would be sanctioned under the 15th Finance Commission grant,” he said.

Following heavy rain in the city last week, waste from surrounding areas accumulated in the water body near the Sugarcane Breeding Institute. Frothing was reported in the water body at the point where it joins Narasampathy tank, said Hari Gaur (55), a worker employed at the tank.

Based on Mr. Prathap’s direction, the Corporation began clearing the waste accumulated in the tank near the ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute on Tuesday.

According to an official from the Coimbatore Smart City Limited, works to remove weeds in the tank began a month ago. The garbage accumulated in the tank through the drains would be removed next.

A Coimbatore-based independent researcher, requesting anonymity, alleged that the Smart Cities Mission works at the tank were undertaken without evaluating environmental impact.

“Recently, a bird nest with eggs was found amid the garbage in the tank. Waterbirds, including Bronze-winged jacana, Painted-snipe, Watercock, Common coot and Black-winged stilt, and other birds such as Jungle myna, Brahminy kite, Greater coucal, Jacobin cuckoo, Night heron and kingfishers breed in the tank. Now, they are forced to breed amid the waste,” he said.

The Commissioner said that Environmental Impact Assessment was done for the project several years ago and the Corporation would look into the disturbance caused to breeding of birds.