Farmers demand steps to prevent discharge of effluents into River Thirumanimuthar
Farmers in Tamil Nadu are demanding government action to stop the discharge of industrial effluents into the Thirumanimuthar River. They claim that pollution from dyeing units is contaminating the water supply for millions and have threatened a hunger strike if the issue is not addressed.
Why it matters
The contamination of major water bodies poses a significant public health risk and threatens the agricultural stability of the region.
The coordination committee president of the All Farmers Associations of Tamil Nadu, P.R. Pandian, urged the State government to take steps to prevent the discharge of effluents into River Thirumanimuthar.
Mr. Pandian, on Saturday, inspected the river at Kandampatti on the Salem-Bengaluru National Highway along with farmers.
Mr. Pandian told reporters that Thirumanimuthar originates at the point where the Kalvarayan Hills and Shervaroyan Hills meet. It flows through Salem and joins River Cauvery at Paramathi Velur in Namakkal district. He claimed that discharge of dyeing effluents into the river has contaminated both the water body and the groundwater. It has also polluted the Cauvery, the drinking water source for five crore people in the State. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay should take steps to prevent effluents from entering the river, Mr. Pandian added.
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