IMPACT OF EFFLUENTS ON THE QUALITY OF BHAVANI RIVER WATER: AWARENESS AND MANAGEMENT
Bhavani River Protection Council
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The Bhavani River originates in the upper regions of the Nilgiris of the Western Ghats. It is one of the two perennial rivers of water deficient Tamil Nadu. It crosses three districts in the Nilgiris. Coimbatore flowing east cuts across Erode district from west to east. This 185 km long river has its confluence with Cauvery at the town of Bhavani. Average flow per year is 67 thousand cubics.
There are 14 dams in the mountain area. Thick Shola forest cover, rich wildlife and crystal clear water present an excellent scenic site of eco-preservation. Kuntha, Pyckara, Glenmargan and Pillur dams at the foot of the hills are used for generating Hydro Electric Power and there is no pollution.
Lower down due to deforestation & intensive horticulture operations with tea, potato and other vegetables there is soil erosion and pollution with pesticides and fertilisers.
Bhavani River enters the plains near Bathra-Kaliamman Temple near Mettupalayam. 30 km downstream is the Mettupalayam Lower Bhavani Dam, constructed 4 decades ago. There are a number of Industries in this area causing severe pollution.
LOWER BHAVANI DAM
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2.7 Lakh acres of land are irrigated by the Lower Bhavani project. Varieties of fish are grown and fishlings are grown at hatcheries and released into dam.
Due to heavy pollution from the Industries above, mainly South India Viscose, fish mortality was heavy. Natural pawning was affected due to accumulation of industrial sediments. From this, pawning almost came to stand still. Hatcheries were closed down because eggs did not hatch due to polluted water. Water was dark in colour due to heavy industrial pollution with decreased light entry into the bottom which again affected the fish and aquatic organisms. D.O. was less which killed aquatic life.
Water let into irrigation canals was dark in colour with lignosulphates and other chemicals. Germination of ground nut crops and groundnut cultivation of the LBP Ayacut came to a stand still. After the discharge, the viscose factory was stopped from Dec, 1997 for two years by a High Court order. Ground nut cultivation is going on again.
IN ERODE DISTRICT
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There are more than 100 textile units, 110 leather processing units, 2 sugar factories and 2 distillery units. All of them use Bhavani river water for their water requirements. Either directly or indirectly all their effluents reach Bhavani River and Kalingarayan canals causing severe pollution, affecting agriculture and causing severe environmental damage.
Suspended solids from pulp & paper, viscose, textile and leather units silt the dams and cause damage to aquatic life. Solids deposited on the gills of fish kill them. Dissolved solids are mainly composed of carbonates, bi-carbonates, chlorides, sulphates, phosphates, and nitrates of calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron & magnese. Concentration of dissolved solids in drinking water alters the colour, taste and gives bad odour making water non-portable, causes diseases in cattle and livestock, kills aquatic life, and affects plants adversely damaging the crops. Pollution passes on to the food chain. Man being on the top of food chain gets affected most. Lignin from viscose form heavy molecular ligno-sulphates. Dioxins from the chlorine compounds used are very dangerous components. Dioxins act like oestrogens, get accumulated in fatty tissues of live stock and man. They have a feminising influence and thus cause male infertility, preponement of maturity in Girls, menstrual irregularities, abortions, breast & uterine cancer in women, cause congenital deformities in new borns. In Doddampalayam village just below the Bhavanisagar Dam 9 persons had died of cancer in two years. This may be due to the dioxin in viscose effluent and the azodyes used by the weaving community of village. Effluents are let into the drains without any treatment.
In Nanjai Puliampatti area, death of goats and other livestock was reported. When untreated effluent from SIV industries were let into Bhavani rivers on 17/7/99 several tons of fish died, a few goats were lost and sickness of cattle was also reported.
Sewages from Ooty, Coonur, Mettupalayam, Sathyamangalam, Gobi and Bhavani towns are let into Bhavani River without any treatment. Cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, gastro enteritis are water born diseases. There is high nitrogen content in sewage.
Very few people have toilet facilities. Most of them defecate on the open ground, specially on the shores of river. Fecal content reaches the river during rain and dirties the river water.
The public elite close their eyes thinking they are beyond pollution what so ever. They live in posh houses, drink bottled water. Little do they realise that they eat chemically contaminated food. People who water directly from the river get affected the most. Awareness and involvement of all sections of people will go a long way in containing pollution of their river.
Bhavani River Protection Council, Thamilaga Pasumal Iyyakam and several other NGO organisations have played a great role in creating awareness. Bhavani River Protection Joint Council went to the court to prove pollution of SIV Factory and stopped discharge of effluents into the river which also served as a warning to other industries. The news media did their part sufficiently well which was able to contain pollution. Textile industries have been closed by TNPCB and leather industries were closed by High Court order.
Afforestation, check-dams, contour bunding, forming of farmer's and people's council, strict follow up of industrial pollution, stringent punishment implementation, proper time bound sewage treatment of all towns and panchayats, regular E.I.A., environmental auditing and finally most important is raising the consciousness level of one and all concerned are the solutions to containing pollution.