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R.Y. Narayanan

The Managing Trustee of Project Siruthuli, Ms Vanitha Mohan, handing over a cheque for Rs 33.45 lakh to the Coimbatore Collector, Mr N. Muruganandam (third from right) and the Project Officer, DRDA, Mr P. Jeyabalakrishnan (extreme left), as public contribution for desilting the tanks in the city. - - K. Ananthan

Coimbatore , Sept. 8

`PROJECT Siruthuli', a public initiative taken up in Coimbatore to revive the water sources in and around the city, has received a shot in the arm with the State Government considering a proposal to extend assistance to the project, estimated to cost about Rs 2.5 crore in the first phase.

While the team implementing the project is elated with possible Government aid, the Government officials view it as a corollary to the rain water harvesting (RWH) drive kick-started by the State Government.

Project Siruthuli authorities have handed over a cheque for about Rs 33 lakh to the Coimbatore District Collector, Mr N. Muruganandam. It is 25 per cent of the cost of the works for which assistance under the `Thanniraivu Thittam' (Self-sufficiency Scheme), with the balance coming from the Government as grant.

Speaking to Business Line, Ms Vanitha Mohan, Managing Trustee, Project Siruthuli and Executive Director, Premier Instruments and Controls Ltd (Pricol), Coimbatore described the action of the State Government to consider Project Siruthuli for financial aid under the `Thanniraivu Thittam' as a recognition of `the sincerity of purpose' with which `Project Siruthuli' was being implemented.

Though the corporate sector has initially pooled the resources for the work, it was not expecting any mileage from it, a fact that may weigh with the Government, she said.

She said a cheque for about Rs 33 lakh has been presented to the District Collector, constituting about 25 per cent of the cost of the works for which assistance was being sought. Once the proposal was cleared, the Government was expected to release about Rs 1.33 crore towards the core project work such as desilting and bunding, which included the contribution made by the Trust.

She said the project, initiated essentially by the corporate sector in city, has been able to mobilise more than Rs 1 crore so far and employees in some industries have come forward to donate a day's wages with employers making a matching contribution. But this would not be adequate and the Trust was looking towards Government for support. It was estimated that the total cost of de-silting and standardisation of the eight tanks within the Coimbatore Corporation limits with nearly 780 acres of water spread area and two canals to a distance of 15.3 km may be around Rs 2.5 crore.

The Government would release funds periodically, based on the progress of the work done and government representatives would be on hand to monitor the adherence to the specified standards.

Besides de-silting and deepening of water sources, execution of beautification works such as laying lawns and constructing pathways, prevention of environmental degradation, afforestation drive, mass education programmes, institutionalising waste water management and thereby improving sanitation facilities are part of it. But the Government aid will be for the core project work such as de-silting and bunding.

Ms Vanitha Mohan said in the first phase, three tanks — Krishnampathy, Selvampathy and Kumaraswamy — have been taken up for de-silting and standardisation. Till now, about 180 acres of water spread tank bed area have been cleared, de-silted and standardised to receive water. Work on the Valankulam tank would commence shortly.

The Coimbatore Collector said a proposal for government assistance for `Project Siruthuli' has been sent to the Government for consideration under the `Thanniraivu Thittam'.

He described `Project Siruthuli' as unique in that this was a massive project implemented with active participation by the public in improving the water sources in the city. It will be very useful and important in improving the water table in the area and he viewed it as a `corollary' to the drive for Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) launched by the State Government.

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