Madurai Proposes Rs 440 Crore Plan to Rescue Polluted Vaigai River

The move is projected as a major step towards tackling a long-standing environmental and public health crisis affecting the historic Vaigai River.

Despite multiple initiatives announced over the years, including periodic cleaning drives and efforts to prevent sewage mixing, residents and environmental activists maintain that untreated sewage and solid waste continue to flow into the river at several locations.

Suresh Kumar, an environmental activist associated with a local river protection collective, said sewage inflow has been consistently observed from areas such as Vilangudi, Thathaneri, Aruldoss Nagar and near the Arapalayam check dam.

"Pumping stations are present in these locations, but during peak hours, excess sewage is often released directly into the river. Many of these facilities are decades old and no longer adequate for the city's current load," he said, adding that pumping stations such as the one at Kuruvukaran urgently require modernisation.

Residents echo similar concerns about solid waste dumping. Ramesh Anand, a long-time resident of Madurai, alleged that garbage dumping along the riverbed continues unabated. "One-off cleaning drives are not enough. There needs to be frequent, systematic removal of accumulated waste and invasive water hyacinths, which have now become a common sight along the river stretch," he said.

Officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD) confirmed the scale of the issue.

A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said over 50 sewage discharge points have been identified within Madurai city limits. "All these locations have been formally flagged, and corrective measures are awaited from the city corporation.

While water hyacinth removal is undertaken periodically, it is far from sufficient," the official noted.

Responding to the criticism, a senior corporation official said the Rs 440-crore proposal focuses on revamping pumping stations and mains to curb direct sewage discharge. "Once implemented, the project will significantly reduce sewage entering the river. At the Panthalkudi canal, one of the major discharge points, a Sewage Treatment Plant will be initiated after the completion of ongoing works," the official said.

Environmentalists, however, cautioned that without fully functional sewage treatment plants and coordinated action between the WRD and civic authorities, pollution of the river would persist, threatening both the ecosystem and public health.

With the annual Chithirai festival approaching, activists have urged the authorities to fast-track the proposed works to prevent further degradation of the river.

- IANS