Farmers in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district have raised a serious alarm over the appearance of unusual chemical foam in the waters of the Thenpennai river. The contaminated water is reportedly being released from the Kelavarapalli reservoir near Hosur, sparking fears about agricultural and environmental safety.
Official Release and Unusual Contamination
According to an official from the state's water resources department, the reservoir has been receiving a steady inflow. The water inflow into the Kelavarapalli reservoir has been recorded at 699 cubic feet per second (cusecs) for several consecutive days. To maintain the mandated water level of 41.33 feet in the reservoir, the authorities have been releasing the excess water.
"Since the water level in the reservoir should be maintained at 41.33 feet, 699 cubic feet of water was released into the Thenpennai river," the official stated on Monday. However, this routine release has been accompanied by an alarming phenomenon – the presence of thick chemical foams in the discharged water.
Farmers Voice Concerns Over River Health
The local farming community, which depends on the Thenpennai river for irrigation, has expressed deep concern. They point out that seeing such chemical foam is highly unusual, especially during a non-rainy season. Typically, natural foam can form during heavy rains due to organic matter, but the current occurrence under dry conditions strongly suggests an external, possibly industrial, contaminant entering the water system.
Farmers are worried that the polluted water could have detrimental effects on their crops, soil health, and the overall river ecosystem. The long-term impact of this chemical discharge on groundwater and farm yields remains a major unanswered question causing anxiety in the agrarian districts of Krishnagiri and beyond.
Call for Investigation and Action
The incident highlights a critical gap in monitoring and protecting water resources. While the water release was a standard operational procedure to manage reservoir levels, the contamination indicates a failure in safeguarding the upstream catchment area from pollution sources. There is an urgent need for environmental authorities to investigate the origin of these chemical pollutants.
A swift probe is required to identify the industries or units responsible for letting effluents into the river or its tributaries that feed the Kelavarapalli dam. The farmers' alert serves as a crucial reminder for stricter enforcement of environmental norms and continuous water quality checks at reservoir points to prevent such scares and ensure the safety of water used for irrigation and possibly drinking downstream.
