Concerns have been raised over the dumping and burning of solid waste in dry stream courses by village and town panchayats across Coimbatore district.
In Malumichampatti panchayat, mixed waste is disposed of in a dry stream along the Eachanari–Chettipalayam Road. A resident of Lakshmi Nagar, located along the stream, alleged that waste is dumped at the site on a daily basis and burned to reduce accumulation before further dumping. He said the stream has remained dry for the past four years, following which the location began to be used for waste disposal. A check dam exists near the site.
He added that residents planted around 200 saplings along the bunds of the stream four years ago and are maintaining them.
Similar practices have been reported in Idigarai, where mixed waste is said to be dumped in the Idigarai pallam, a stream originating from the Western Ghats and joining the Kaushika river. A resident said pits are dug to dump waste and later covered, with the process repeated regularly. Though the stream is dry at present, water flows during the monsoon, raising concerns over groundwater contamination and alteration of the stream.
In the Thadagam region, residents near the Sanganoor canal have reported dumping and burning along a dry stream. A social activist said Chinna Thadagam and 22 Nanjundapuram panchayats have been using multiple points along the stream to dump plastic waste and burn it, narrowing the channel over time. Locations cited include areas near Kanuvai, along Anaikatti Main Road near Thiruvalluvar Nagar, and at the Thadagam–Thudiyalur Road crossing.
