ShareThis1. Siruthuli – set up 6 years ago to restore the depleting water in Coimbatore. Their main focus areas are:
- Water resources management
- Afforestation
- Sewage and waste water treatment – along with RAAC
- Solid waste management – along with RAAC
Some of Siruthuli’s major activities to revive water bodies in and around Coimbatore are:
1. Constructed a check dam across the Nandangarai stream in Siruvani village taken up by Siruthuli at a cost of Rs.1.3 crores – funded partly by donations and partly by District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). This has increased the water table and helped in perennial water availability in a 12 km radius. This water body is now a watering hole for wild animals in the region.
2. Saw two of the 7 tanks in and around Coimbatore which were cleared/desilted. Currently most of these tanks are covered with water hyacinth and needs urgent attention by the Government.
2. Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) – The primary objective of RAAC is to create a good, pleasant and serene living atmosphere conducive for leading a healthy and peaceful life in Coimbatore. Some of the major activities of RAAC are:
- Solid Waste Management in some housing complexes in partnership with ITC where dry paper & plastic scrap are collected and bought ITC– this can be replicated in Chennai since ITC is interested.
- They are currently collecting 35 metric tons of paper/plastic scrap every month and hope to increase this to 100 metric tons by roping in more housing complexes
- Zero waste awareness programs in housing complexes/colleges
- Conducting regular programs on hygienic living and “Alagana Covai”.
We had a meeting with M/s Vanitha Mohan, Balasundaram, Raveendran and Mylswami when they explained the various activities of RAAC & Siruthuli for 2008-09. It was felt that CCC could help (i) Siruthuli in the area of decentralized waste water treatment plants (Dewats) and (ii) provide RAAC detailed drawings of roads of varying widths / pavements … which could help the local Corporation to improve roads / pavements in and around Coimbatore – these details have since been sent to them.
RAAC has offered to help set up solid waste management / zero waste along with ITC, in Chennai. They would also send us details of taking up large-scale rain-water harvesting in industries.
CCC and RAAC/Siruthuli hope to work together by using each other’s experience / expertise to help create a better Chennai and Coimbatore.
–
This travel report was filed by Mr Balchand Parayath
I am a transport planner at EMBARQ. I am happy to read about RAAC and the socially and environmentally relevant work it is doing in Coimbatore. My parents are settled in Palakkad. I am deeply concerned about the state of the environment in Palakkad, which is deteriorating every day owing to the negligence of the residents of the town in the areas of waste management, air pollution (increased vehicular traffic, especially highly polluting truck traffic), and destruction of green areas (fields and forests being replaced by factories and housing complexes). There seems to be no standard regulatory body (or even if there is one, its activities don’t seem to be effective) to regulate the indiscriminate encroachment on green space. I remember Palakkad from my growing up days when it used to be a serene, beautiful, and green city, but the way things are moving presently, I am afraid it is going to have the same fate as many other cities like Bangalore which have fallen victims to irresponsible leadership, lack of foresight towards sustainable development, and commitment on the part of the people to keep their city clean and green.
I am wondering if there is a body like RAAC based in Palakkad which is doing path breaking work in Palakkad to promote sustainable development. If so, I would greatly be interested in knowing about it, and getting involved. If not, I would be interested in knowing how to go about setting up such a body.
I greatly appreciate your thoughts on the above.
Regards,
Akshay
Dear Akshay,
I share the same thoughts too, and am worried about the once beautiful, and now ‘endlessly-being-destroyed’ land – whole India.
No privilege and support given to farming and farmers, and they are not interested to continue the same, farmable lands converted to houses/flats.
Lakes are vanishing, waste management – no one is bothered! (why then local bodies for admn?) and no civic sense.
Not restoring anything for the generations to come! (as exactly pointed out by you, no sustainable dev).
The only possible way is to protect the nature, and educate the masses the importance of the same and aso Controlled Consumption of natural resources!
Me from TVM, now in Coimbatore, was looking at Siruthuli to join the activities. It seems if there exists no orgs, then you need to start the activities. Go ahead, register a small NGO bearing the expenses, or even i can share it. Talk to Vanitha Mohan – you may get an idea on how to start it! (i have never known/met her though).
Share your thoughts and experieces, obviously many progressive thinking people will join your mission – our mission! all the best.
br
DileepNarayanan