In a statement issued by A.S. Shankarapandian, General Secretary of Samuga Pothunala Iyakkam (TNSPI), he stated as follows:
The Kruthumal River, which originates in the Thuvariman area at the foothills of Nagamalai, is a major water source for Madurai. It irrigated 73 tanks, and thousands of acres of agricultural land benefited from it. Connected to the Vaigai as a tributary through the Arikesari Canal, the river travels around 80 km and once quenched the thirst of people in various areas including Sivaganga, Virudhunagar and Ramanathapuram. It has now lost its identity and beauty. The river, which was 120 feet wide, has now narrowed to less than 10 feet at many places in Madurai.
Sewage from Madurai city enters this river at eight locations. Garbage, plastic and meat waste are also seen piled up in the river. Due to sewage discharge and dumping of waste, several parts of the city including Virattipathu, Ponmeni, Ellis Nagar, Keerathurai and Chinthamani are in a poor condition with foul odour, creating an alarming situation of sanitation problems and infectious diseases. With encroachments on one side and waste on the other, the Kruthumal River is being degraded and losing its vitality.
In Madurai alone, several tanks have disappeared over the past 40 years. Until 1980, these water bodies were interconnected and greatly benefited the people who depended on them. As a result of abuse of authority by government departments, including local bodies that were supposed to protect them, around 50 tanks were taken over. The Kruthumal River is also on this list. What was once a river now appears as stagnant sewage sludge and has become the city’s sewage drain.
The Madurai High Court ordered a digital survey of the river to determine its boundaries, remove encroachments and prevent sewage from entering it. Similarly, the Green Tribunal ordered appropriate action to prevent city sewage from entering the Kruthumal River. However, as the Corporation has failed to take notice, sewage discharge and waste dumping continue. History tells us that civilisations were born on riverbanks. But today, rivers are losing their life because of cities.
Whatever the courts may say, protecting such water bodies is impossible unless there is awareness among the public. In 2020, only a small amount of funds was allocated for desilting this river, and it was therefore not completely cleaned; it was like offering a handful of puffed grain to satisfy an elephant’s hunger. Water inflow into the Kruthumal River is obstructed because water is diverted from the Mottaikalungu area. Therefore, the discharge of city sewage and waste into this river must be completely stopped. Appropriate action must also be taken to remove encroachments and clean the river, and there is an urgent need for people themselves to stand together like its banks and join hands to protect the Kruthumal River.
Head Office,
Samuga Pothunala Iyakkam (TNSPI).
