Water hyacinth spread across the Ukkadam big tank has been cleared
The tank as it stands now after corporation staff removed the weeds in a four-day operation. (Photo: DC/File)
Coimbatore: In a massive clean-up drive, water hyacinth spread across the Ukkadam big tank has been cleared by the Coimbatore corporation. Over the last four days, earthmovers were brought in to remove on a war-footing the weeds choking the Ukkadam tank.
Now the Ukkadam lake sports a refreshingly clean look. However, activists say that it is just a matter of time before the hyacinths rear their weedy heads again as sewage continues to flow into the tank.
The four-day, massive effort will go for a naught when sewage water discharged into the tanks will increase the growth of weeds quickly, rued Mr N.I. Jalaluddin, president of Nature Conservation Society.
"Unless a permanent solution is evolved, this will repeatedly drain the funds of the corporation," he said. For clearing an acre of wetland of water hyacinth, the corporation had to spend Rs 4 lakh. "All the major wetlands are spread across more than 200 acres and the cost for cleaning all water bodies across the corporation limits will run into crores of rupees," said a corporation official.
Efforts should be made to ensure that sewage is not dumped into the tanks. Either the corporation should instal sewage treatment plants in all tanks or ensure that the UGD is laid across the city quickly, sewage disposal streamlined and tanks are hyacinth-free, say environmental activists.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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