Siruthuli
Encyclopedia
Siruthuli is an NGO
based in Coimbatore
India
which works to rejuvenate the water sources in the city of Coimbatore
.
Siruthuli (which means a small drop in Tamil
) has been very successful in reclaiming most of the urban water bodies in Coimbatore.
With the rainwater harvesting structures implemented by Siruthuli, there has been a substantial increase in water table
in all the areas in and around Coimbatore http://www.siruthuli.org/project_status.html
Seven lakes in and around Coimbatore have been desilted and deepened: Krishnampathy, Narasampathy, Selvampathy, Kumarasamy, Selvachinthamani, Kurichi Kulam, Coimbatore big tank.
Roadside Rain Water Harvesting Structures
With the help of the Coimbatore Corporation, 150 deep borewells with recharge pits and percolation
/ filter chambers were constructed to harvest the rainwater from roads and the open spaces of Coimbatore city. these pits have proven their efficacy in preventing flooding and water stagnation
; with a by-product of recharging ground water. Water levels and water samples have been collected periodically to study the fluctuations in ground water levels and the water quality. This study will be carried out once in three months which will help as to arrive a best possible ways of safe rainwater harvesting from road side and open spaces within the city.
Solid Waste Management- Waste To Wealth
Removal of water hyacinth and garbage
Valankulam and Selvachintamani tanks are covered with water hyacinth
mainly due to the sewage water contamination. Water hyacinth has been proved to be an ideal breeding for mosquitoes and since it has 80% water content, it is also a potential threat for depletion of water level in the tank.
Siruthuli in its endeavour to preserve the water in these tanks, undertook the massive project of removing the water hyacinth from them. The water hyacinth thus removed, from Valankulam, Selvachinthamani, Periyakulam and Krishnampathy tanks were processed as manure
using EM Technology. The manure obtained from the water hyacinth was tested and proved as a best bio-manure for agricultural crops.
The Coimbatore Corporation, like other Municipal Corporations, has also commenced segregation of waste at source in South Zone. It is reported that about 600 Megatonne (MT.) of garbage is being generated daily in Coimbatore Corporation. Out of the 600 MT. solid waste generated daily, the Corporation authorities assured of supplying 100 MT. of organic market/hotel waste daily to Siruthuli for processing the bio-degradable waste into bio-compost using EM Technology. Siruthuli will take up 100 MT processing of waste in a phased manner.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
based in Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
which works to rejuvenate the water sources in the city of Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
.
Siruthuli (which means a small drop in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
) has been very successful in reclaiming most of the urban water bodies in Coimbatore.
With the rainwater harvesting structures implemented by Siruthuli, there has been a substantial increase in water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
in all the areas in and around Coimbatore http://www.siruthuli.org/project_status.html
Stated objectives of Siruthuli
- Reviving the heritage of Coimbatore vis-à-vis its traditional water management system
- Rainwater harvesting to harness rainwater and de-silt ponds, canals and waterways in disuse to raise the ground water level
- Preventing environmental degradation by launching a drive against non-bio degradable wastes
- Afforestation drive
- Mass education programmes to provide awareness to the larger community to protect the environment
- Institutionalizing waste water management and thereby improving sanitation facilities in the community
- Initiating projects for a cleaner and greener environment
- To foster inter-community relationship through a wider participation by the community to build up a strong social solidarity
Progress Made Thus Far
Large scale rainwater harvestingSeven lakes in and around Coimbatore have been desilted and deepened: Krishnampathy, Narasampathy, Selvampathy, Kumarasamy, Selvachinthamani, Kurichi Kulam, Coimbatore big tank.
Roadside Rain Water Harvesting Structures
With the help of the Coimbatore Corporation, 150 deep borewells with recharge pits and percolation
Percolation
In physics, chemistry and materials science, percolation concerns the movement and filtering of fluids through porous materials...
/ filter chambers were constructed to harvest the rainwater from roads and the open spaces of Coimbatore city. these pits have proven their efficacy in preventing flooding and water stagnation
Water stagnation
Water stagnation occurs when water stops flowing. Stagnant water can be a major environmental hazard.-Dangers:Malaria and dengue are among the main dangers of stagnant water, which can become a breeding ground for the mosquitoes that transmit these diseases.Stagnant or Stailment water can be...
; with a by-product of recharging ground water. Water levels and water samples have been collected periodically to study the fluctuations in ground water levels and the water quality. This study will be carried out once in three months which will help as to arrive a best possible ways of safe rainwater harvesting from road side and open spaces within the city.
Solid Waste Management- Waste To Wealth
Removal of water hyacinth and garbage
Valankulam and Selvachintamani tanks are covered with water hyacinth
Water hyacinth
The seven species of water hyacinth comprise the genus Eichhornia. Water hyacinth are a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in...
mainly due to the sewage water contamination. Water hyacinth has been proved to be an ideal breeding for mosquitoes and since it has 80% water content, it is also a potential threat for depletion of water level in the tank.
Siruthuli in its endeavour to preserve the water in these tanks, undertook the massive project of removing the water hyacinth from them. The water hyacinth thus removed, from Valankulam, Selvachinthamani, Periyakulam and Krishnampathy tanks were processed as manure
Manure
Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil...
using EM Technology. The manure obtained from the water hyacinth was tested and proved as a best bio-manure for agricultural crops.
The Coimbatore Corporation, like other Municipal Corporations, has also commenced segregation of waste at source in South Zone. It is reported that about 600 Megatonne (MT.) of garbage is being generated daily in Coimbatore Corporation. Out of the 600 MT. solid waste generated daily, the Corporation authorities assured of supplying 100 MT. of organic market/hotel waste daily to Siruthuli for processing the bio-degradable waste into bio-compost using EM Technology. Siruthuli will take up 100 MT processing of waste in a phased manner.
Future Activities
- Eco – Forums in Schools and Colleges
- Restoration of Noyyal River
- Afforestation
- Roadside and open space rainwater harvesting
- Solid waste management - Waste to wealth
- Landfill for accumulated un-segregated waste of Coimbatore Corporation
External links
- Siruthuli Website
- http://www.google.com/custom?domains=www.hinduonnet.com&q=siruthuli&sa=Search&client=pub-6238405171313215&forid=1&ie=ISO-8859-1&oe=ISO-8859-1&cof=GALT%3A%23008000%3BGL%3A1%3BDIV%3A%23336699%3BVLC%3A663399%3BAH%3Acenter%3BBGC%3AFFFFFF%3BLBGC%3A336699%3BALC%3A0000FF%3BLC%3A0000FF%3BT%3A000000%3BGFNT%3A0000FF%3BGIMP%3A0000FF%3BLH%3A60%3BLW%3A468%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehindu.com%2Fhindux.gif%3BS%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2F%3BFORID%3A1%3B&hl=en&sitesearch=hinduonnet.comSearch India's National Paper(The Hindu) for related articles]
- `Project Siruthuli' looking at power or manure
- Reviving the tanks
