Farmers protest proposed sewage plant near Sholinghur

Villagers, farmers and traders have protested against a proposed sewage treatment plant in Udayarpalayam hamlet near Sholinghur in Tamil Nadu’s Ranipet district. Residents staged the protest on the Arakkonam–Sholinghur Main Road on Friday. They said the project could affect groundwater and the Palar River, as well as farmland in surrounding villages.

Udayarpalayam has about 1,500 residents, most of whom are farmers and petty traders, according to the report. Paddy is the main crop, while farmers also grow green chilli, brinjal, groundnuts, greens and mangoes. Residents said the hamlet has several water bodies and that farming in nearby villages depends largely on bore wells.

They fear that building the treatment plant near farmland and water bodies could harm both surface-water and groundwater quality. Farmer K. Raman said the municipality should identify land within Sholinghur’s limits for the facility rather than placing it near agricultural areas.

Villagers said any pollution could affect farming across the surrounding settlements. Sholinghur municipal officials said the civic body had been unable to find vacant land within its limits because of high land costs and population density. They said Udayarpalayam was selected because it is about three kilometres from Sholinghur town and lies downstream, making it easier to convey wastewater.

Officials said the plant would treat sewage and other household wastewater, with recycled water used to water plants. They added that existing storm-water drains currently carry wastewater into lakes and ponds, and that the proposed plant would end that discharge and reduce pollution of local water bodies.