At a time when campaign on saving water bodies is gaining momentum in the State, a pond at Keezha Kurichi near Ponmalaipatti has become a storing point of garbage.
When the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme workers were engaged to dig the Chinnamavadi pond (Amman Kulam) a few weeks ago, the villagers thought that it was for deepening the pond so as to increase the water storage capacity.
Now, the Keezha Kuruchi village panchayat is using the deepened pits to dump garbage.
It has become a point of contention as the residents have raised a banner of revolt against dumping of waste in the pond.
The 30-acre pond irrigates about 100 acres of land in Keezha Kurichi panchayat. Moreover, it is serving as a catalyst for recharging groundwater in neighbouring areas.
Residents fear that dumping of waste will make the pond totally defunct. Moreover, it will degrade the quality of groundwater.
Pointing out the existence of water tank close to the pits dug on the pond, residents said it was unfortunate that the village pond had been converted as dump.
It would ultimately pollute the environment and groundwater. The villagers would be forced to get polluted water in the future. The people of Thendral Nagar, Amul Nagar, Yagappa Nagar, Anthoniyar Puram, Nova Nagar and Thiru Nagar would be affected.
K.C. Neelamegam, secretary, “Thanneer”, said the pond should not have been made as dump yard.
The village panchayat should have chosen a different land for dumping waste.
Protesting against the move, a group of residents of Keezhakurichi met its president Kavitha Palanisamy on Saturday and lodged their protest.
When contacted, she said waste generated from the village had been dumped in the pits as per the instruction of officials of Thiruverumbur Panchayat Union.
The garbage was being dumped after segregating into bio-degradable and non-degradable. Since the people objected to the plan, she would take up the issue with the officials concerned on Monday. She would go by the people’s demand.
