THE TIMES OF INDIA

Coimbatore lake dries up in rainy season

With Monsoon Playing Truant,Only Small Area In 250-Acre Lake Has Water
K A Shaji TNN | Wed, 25-12-2013

Coimbatore: It is three weeks since the monsoon officially arrived,but rainfall has been far from normal. The Met department data reveals that nearly 70% of the country has received less than normal rain. The enormity of the situation is evident at the Perur Periyakulam, the largest lake in Coimbatore, which has been reduced to a barren depression. Water is limited to a small area of the 250-acre lake. The rest of the lake is littered with dead fish and shells of fresh water crabs. Birds that used to flock to the lake in hundreds are missing. Small groups of people gather on the lake bed in the evening and wait for the sun to set before drowning in liquor. So,what has gone wrong Local residents say that the rain-fed lake usually gets recharged by the middle of June and the water level would remain stable till January. Thereafter, it begins to recede. However, rarely does it dry up like this, residents say. Nearly 95% of the lake is dry though June is about to end. The area received only mild showers, which have not added much to the water level in the lake. As it is a rain-fed lake, there is little to worry about the depletion of water level in summer. But the drying up is quite unusual. Hopefully, the lake would fill up at least to half its capacity by October-November, when the northeast monsoon arrives, says K Mohan Raj, secretary of Save Coimbatore Wetlands. Mohan and others are quick to point out that shortfall in monsoon showers are not to be blamed entirely for the empty lake. Over-exploitation of groundwater in the region and encroachment in the lakes catchment area, including outlets that link the Noyyal river to the lake, has affected the regenerative capacity of the water body. Dumping of garbage too has added to the problem. The Bharathipuram-Sundakkamuthur Road and a part of the Ukkadam-Siruvani Road pass through the tank bund. People throw garbage into the lake from the road without thinking about its outcome. Authorities must shift the road by at least 10 feet so that motorists dont have access to the tank, says Mohan Raj.

LAKE OF DESPAIR

Located 12 km away from the city, close to the historic Patteeswara temple at Perur Spread over 250 acres, but only 5% of lake has water Once linked to the Noyyal river, the approach is now choked Built about 800 to 1,000 years ago to store Noyyal flood waters and irrigate the neighbourhood. Overexploitation of ground water and poor monsoon blamed for the lakes plight.
Copyright 2013 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved