The Hindu                 30.04.2013

Private body gets nod to clean two water bodies in Coimbatore

RAAC will make use of silt to strengthen the bunds.

Coimbatore District Collector M. Karunagaran has accorded sanction to the Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) to clear two water bodies of silt in the city and enhance the storage capacity. The two water bodies are Ukkadam Big Tank and Singanallur Tank.

RAAC president C.R. Swaminathan and secretary R. Raveendran petitioned the Collector seeking permission to clean the tanks help in re-charge of the aquifers in a bid to improve the ground water table. The plea was for early permission before the onset of the South West monsoon.

Complying with the condition imposed by the Collector and the State-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority of Tamil Nadu (EIA), RAAC will make use of the silt to strengthen the bunds and also to create mounds in the respective tanks.

There will not be any removal, transportation of silt or use in any other commercial venture.

The green signal to clear the tanks given to a private party comes after clarifications with the Executive Engineer of Water Resource Organisation (WRO) of the Public Works Department and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Corporation.

EIA had said that if the proposal was for increasing the storage capacity and to help in recharge of ground water in the nearby areas and if the tanks do not have any culture command area, the project will not attract the provisions of EIA notification of 2006 or its subsequent amendment in 2010.

RAAC has thanked Mayor S.M. Velusamy, the Collector, Corporation Commissioner G. Latha, Deputy Commissioner S. Sivarasu, PWD and EIA officials for expediting the process of their petition so as to commence the works at the earliest. RAAC has been given time till May 31, to complete the works.