Social activists urge city corpn to adopt green measures

Coimbatore: Social activists on Monday requested the city corporation to increase green cover around city lakes and treat water before letting it into the lakes while implementing the lake beautification projects under the Smart Cities Mission.
The suggestions were made during the smart city advisory forum meeting that took place in the corporation office.Corporation commissioner P Kumaravel Pandian presided over the meeting.
Activists requested the civic body not to cut trees on the roads while implementing the model road projects on the DB Road and Race Course Road, to increase green cover around the lakes and to speed up installing sewage treatment plants (STPs) as part of the lake beautification project.
“We requested the corporation to take steps to clean and maintain the canals connecting the lakes even though it does not come under the scope of lake rejuvenation project. As a crematorium is located just a kilometre away from Muthannankulam, people have been dumping ritual wastes including garlands and beds along the lake bund. We have requested the corporation to take measures to prevent it,” secretary of the Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (Raac) R Raveendran, who attended the meeting, said.
Syed of environmental organization Osai said, “We requested the officials to remove encroachments along the Valankulam lake and to increase green cover to protect biodiversity. Also, steps should be taken to maintain the lakes after the construction work is completed.”