Teams formed to monitor Coimbatore lakes amid heavy rain

Coimbatore Corporation has formed teams across its five zones to monitor water level in lakes and clear blockages in water channels amid concerns over flooding in residential areas during heavy rain.

A senior Corporation official said teams led by zonal assistant commissioners and engineering officials were monitoring the lakes and clearing blockages in inlet and outlet channels. Assistant engineers had also been assigned night duty in all five zones for two months to monitor rainfall and respond to emergencies.

Krishnampathy, Selvampathy, Kumarasamy and Selvachinthamani lakes receive rainwater from the western parts of the city. Water released at Chithiraichavadi also reaches these lakes. Water flows from Kumarasamy lake to Selvachinthamani lake and then towards Ukkadam Periyakulam.

Environment groups have urged the Corporation and the Water Resources Department to jointly monitor the inflow and discharge. They have suggested examining the feasibility of maintaining Selvachinthamani lake at 70% to 80% of its storage capacity during the daytime, depending on weather forecasts, to accommodate heavy inflow at night and reduce the risk of flooding.

The narrow channel carrying surplus water from Selvachinthamani lake towards Ukkadam Periyakulam is a concern. During the northeast monsoon last year, surplus water from the lake, along with rainwater, inundated nearby residential areas.

A proposal to divert surplus water from Selvachinthamani lake to Valankulam through a pipeline beneath a road remains pending. The Corporation had submitted a project report estimated at ₹6 crore to the government, but the work has not been taken up as funds and approval are yet to be sanctioned.