Latest news with #KousikaNeerkarangal
Time of India
15-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Abandoned well recharged; Paduvampalli panchayat can now save Rs 90,000 every two months
Photo by P Sreedharan COIMBATORE: An abandoned open well at Rayarpalayam near Sulur has been recharged after nearly five decades through collaborative efforts. People no longer need to depend on two 1,000-foot-deep borewells, as the revived open well now provides sufficient water supply at just 100 feet. The well has become a significant electricity saver for both the Paduvampalli panchayat panchayat administration and the farmers in the area. The open well is situated in the Rayarpalayam Rangasamuthiram lake. The lake is being desilted by Kousika Neerkarangal, an NGO, in collaboration with Pioneer Fertilizers which extended its corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding. According to the NGO, the lake is among the 1,230 water bodies recharged through the Athikadavu-Avinashi project. Due to depleted groundwater in the locality, the open well had dried up and was subsequently used as a garbage disposal pit for almost three decades. Paduvampalli village had previously installed two 1,000-foot borewells to supply water to the public. Balakrishnan, secretary of the agriculture wing at Kousika Neerkarangal, said, 'The lake has received water from the Athikadavu-Avinashi project. As a result, the well has been naturally recharged over the last eight months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo The 120-foot well maintains a minimum water level of 50 feet.' 'Previously, the panchayat had installed two 7.5 HP pump sets that ran continuously to supply approximately 90,000 litre of water to around 1,500 people. The daily electricity consumption was approximately 264 units, costing the panchayat roughly Rs 1.2 lakh every two months. After desilting the well and installing new motor, starter, and pipelines connected to village tanks, the electricity bill has reduced by approximately Rs 30,000 every two months,' he added. According to Shanmugavadivel, a local farmer, the total dissolved solids (TDS) levels in the borewell were comparatively high and impacted crop yields. He said, 'My well was also recharged because of the Athikadavu-Avinashi project. Earlier, the borewell water was tasteless and salty, resulting in lower crop yields. In the last six months, after using the well water, I have noticed an improvement in crop yields and crop quality. The water department collected and tested samples, confirming that TDS levels in the borewell were higher than in the well.' The NGO will hand over the operations of the well to the panchayat on Wednesday for regular water supply to the village.
New Indian Express
15-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Abandoned open well in TN turns model for sustainable water management
COIMBATORE: An abandoned open well located within a waterbody at Rayarpalayam near Sulur in the district has become a model for an economical water distribution system, thanks to the Athikadavu-Avinashi groundwater recharge project. The waterbody conservation forum 'Kousika Neerkarangal' revived the well, establishing it as a primary groundwater source for the village, while replacing the previous borewell supply. The NGO claims that the open well can save around 220 units of electricity each day and around Rs 1 lakh in electricity costs every two months when compared to the conventional borewell water supply. The well was found a month ago while desilting the Rangasamuthiram Lake- a tank spanning around 25 acres in the Pathuvampalli village panchayat of Sulur taluk. "The well is located at the northwest corner of the tank and is one of the 1,230 waterbodies benefitting from the Athikadavu-Avinashi groundwater recharge project. This project rejuvenates the groundwater source of the tank, allowing us to identify the well, which holds water at a depth of 75 feet. After desilting and cleaning the well, we repaired its structure. With a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level below 350 mg/L, the water from the well has been supplied to the village, replacing borewell water, whose TDS levels were above 700 mg/L," said PK Selvaraj, founder of Kousika Neerkarangal.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
It's waste that flows in Coimbatore's Sanganoor canal
Coimbatore: Once a free-flowing canal that adorned the landscape of Coimbatore city, Sanganoor canal, filled with waste and sewage, today scars the cityscape. There was a time when the canal used to surge whenever heavy rain lashed Chinnathadagam area. Today, the canal has become a dumping ground for the city folk. It was just two weeks ago that the city corporation desilted the canal for a length of 10 kilometres at a cost of Rs40 lakh as part of monsoon preparedness. However, the canal now looks like it wasn't desilted for years together. The city corporation could not be squarely blamed for the situation. While the city corporation has intensified door-to-door garbage collection, a section of people continue to dump old mattresses, cots, sofas, carton boxes, thermocol and used electronic gadgets into Sanganoor canal. Originating from Chinnathadagam area, the canal flows through Thadagam valley before it enters the city and travels for 11 kilometres, and drains into the Noyyal river near Singanallur. In 2021, the city corporation had commenced the project to rejuvenate the canal. S Sivaraja, secretary, Kousika Neerkarangal, an NGO, said the Sanganoor canal was today reduced to a sewage channel. "It was once known for heavy inflow whenever it rained in Thadagam valley. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 임플란트, 지금 시작하세요 [자세히 보기] 임플란트 더 알아보기 Undo Unchecked red soil mining and growth of brick kilns in Thadagam area since the early 1990s reduced the flow of water to the canal. Taking advantage of the situation, people started encroaching upon the canal bund and started dumping all kinds of waste into it. " He said the corporation's temporary action plans to prevent the choking of canals weren't enough to save Sanganoor canal. "Door-to-door waste collection doesn't include scrap materials, which eventually end up in the canal. Adequate licensed shredders should be deployed across the city to effectively carry out recycling of waste. There should be proper surveillance cameras and a fence." C Prashanth, partner, Recompose Recycling Pvt Ltd, said while 90% of the waste materials found in the Sanganoor canal would not be accepted by scrap dealers, those were valuable for waste management handlers. "Most of the residents give old furniture, mattresses and electronic gadgets to scrap dealers, who do not process the same. Such waste ends up in the canal. Non-refurbishable beds and sofas should be cut and sent for repurposing. For instance, the cotton and coir in the mattress could be repurposed. While some dry waste that is non-recyclable could be shredded and used as refuse-derived fuel at cement factories. Diapers, sanitary pads and similar items should be incinerated. Thermocol could also be recycled and is a major raw material for manufacturing buttons." When contacted, a senior corporation official said CCTVs, along with warning boards, had been placed in areas of the canal where garbage dumping was rampant. "We are working on identifying a permanent solution to the issue."
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Kousika river revival project in Coimbatore receives funding support
The initiative to revive the Kousika river in Coimbatore has received ₹50 lakh from the Martin Group as financial support for the project. In a joint effort, Rotary District 3201 and the Kousika Neerkarangal organisation undertook the restoration of Kousika River, a 52-km-long tributary of the Noyyal, in October 2024. The first phase of the land survey, covering a six-km stretch from Vaiyampalayam to Devampalayam, was completed in January this year, as part of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a 20-km revival plan. Speaking to the press here on Wednesday, P.K. Selvaraj, founder of Kousika Neerkarangal, said the river had fallen into disuse due to lack of maintenance, resulting in a decline in water level. Invasive vegetation such as juliflora must be cleared, followed by desilting and strengthening of bunds. 'Based on the survey findings, we have sought permission from the Public Works Department. Once obtained, the works can be completed within three months,' he said. According to the proposal, the phase one involves the restoration of percolation points, four check dams, six bridges, and various culverts, at an estimated cost of ₹70 lakh. In three locations where the river path is obstructed by local access routes, alternatives have to be proposed as part of the restoration plan.
