The dumping of plastics and food leftovers in the teppakulam of the Rockfort temple near the Main Guard Gate in Tiruchi continues to pollute the tank.
A school of dead fish have been found floating in the tank for the last few days due to continuous dumping of solid and food waste by the public and street vendors.
The teppakulam of Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple is being maintained by the Tiruchi Corporation and it carries out periodic maintenance to keep it neat and clean. However, it was said that for the last few days, stench had been emanating from the tank apparently due to the dead fish.
According to the Corporation officials, NSB Road and Nandhi Koil Street are dotted with street vendors and small shops, the vendors and public dump food and plastic waste directly in the tank causing water pollution. Officials said that the death of fish can be due to severe oxygen deficiency in the water or due to climatic conditions and high temperatures.
Although the civic body had recently carried out a cleanliness drive on the water body, as part of the Swachhta Hi Seva campaign, the tank remains polluted. Residents, however, slammed the civic body for not maintaining the quality of water even after beautifying the tank and setting up the sound and laser light show at the Teppakulam.
Environment activists and devotees of Thayumanaswamy Temple have urged the Corporation to remove the dead fish floating on the water, replace the polluted water and ensure the tank is maintained properly.
“It is disheartening to see the pitiable condition of the holy place. The officials should sensitise the traders around the tank and warn them against dumping waste in the tank,” said K.C. Neelamegam, an environmental activist.
On the demand of replacing the polluted water in the tank, a senior Corporation official said that the quality of the water would be studied, and steps would be taken to prevent traders and the public from dumping waste and food leftovers in the tank.
