Human fury over Kovai lakes

Coimbatore is gifted with a unique spread of a dozen natural water bodies that store rain water, recharge groundwater and provide cozy shelters for thousands of birds and fishes. It is an irony that although Coimbatore today has emerged as the most prosperous city in Tamil Nadu, its unique lakes are dying. Worse, they have turned into stinking ditches and dump yards.

The water levels in the lakes have gone down by about 100 cubic feet. Precisely, they have dipped from 300 cubic feet to 200 cubic feet, say green activists. If the lakes' water table goes down, the city's ground water table too would dip. Ecologists fear that the painted storks, pelicans and other migratory birds may just stop coming to city lakes.

Israeli expert hails HC ruling on dyeing units

COIMBATORE: The recent Madras high court verdict ordering the closure of all dyeing units in Tirupur in an attempt to protect the dying Noyyal river will inspire movements across the world for protection of rivers and water bodies for future generations, said Dr Yoram Oren of Ben-Gurion University in Israel.

An internationally renowned water expert, Yoram was in Coimbatore on Tuesday to address a seminar on water management strategies organised by Karunya University. An expert on desalination and reverse osmosis, it is the second time that Yoram is in the city. During his first visit, he stayed at the university for four months, and helped set up a unique elctro-chemical water lab at the water institute, which, according to Yoram, can purify even the most contaminated water. A passionate advocate of water rights, Yoram visited Tirupur before reaching Coimbatore and interacted with people living on the shores of Noyyal river.

Dyeing units petition dismissed

The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed with a cost of Rs.15,000 a petition filed by the Tirupur Dyeing Factory Owners Association, which among other things, sought nine months to achieve 100 per cent zero liquid discharge and consequently permit the opening of bleaching and dyeing units.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice M.Y. Eqbal and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam also dismissed another plea from four trade unions, to permit dyeing and bleaching units to run with water from the New Tirupur Area Development Corporation to dilute discharge and reducing the total dissolved solids level.

Pointing to its earlier order dated January 28, 2011, passed in a contempt application filed by Noyyal River Ayuacutdars Protection Association, the bench said the petitioner, who was the fifth contemnor, was bound by the order.

“The petition attempts to seek a review of the order,” it said. “We do not appreciate the manner adopted by the petitioner, with a view to dilute the effect of our order January 28.”

Go green now: RK Pachauri

COIMBATORE: Nobel laureate Rajendra K Pachauri on Wednesday said that the cotton city needs to be "greened more than any other parts of the world". If greenery initiatives are not taken up, the Coimbatore region could become a desert soon, he cautioned. The Nobel laureate was in the city on Friday to address a gathering of green activists at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex. Dr Pachauri bemoaned the drying up of the Noyyal river and called this a major loss to the region.