Coimbatore: Demanding desilting of water bodies and steps to solve the acute drinking water problem in the district, BJP on Friday launched a five day ‘Lotus’ Quench the Thirst’ yatra from Coimbatore.
The yatra, led by Tamil Nadu BJP General Secretary Vanathi Srinivasan, was flagged off by former union minister, Napoleon in the presence former MLA and senior party leader K Lakshmanan at the foothills of Vellingiri on the outskirts.
Napoleon alleged that failure to desilt water bodies had led to them drying up and also losing capacity to hold water.
There was the urgent need to desilt lakes and ponds, he said, adding that the Tamil Nadu government should allocate adequate funds and also seek the Centre for more funds.
The party would also exert pressure on the Centre for allocating funds, he added.
Vanathi said saplings would be planted along the roadside during the five day yatra across the district.
She alleged that dumping of debris, garbage and releasing drainage water has polluted entire Noyyal river and added that the Yatra would exert pressure on the administration to take steps to desilt water bodies and protect them from encroachment.
Vanathi blamed the district administration for encroaching water bodies and constructing a bus stand at Singanallur in the city.
