Farmers and residents in Muthulapuram, Thoothukudi district, have urged officials to reconsider a proposed faecal sludge treatment plant near the Vaippar river, citing concerns about groundwater and flood risks. The rural development agency says the site has not been finalised and that other locations are also being explored.
The District Rural Development Agency has proposed a site in Muthulapuram for a faecal sludge treatment plant serving Vilathikulam and Pudur blocks, which together cover about 90 village panchayats. The proposal has drawn opposition from local farmers and residents, who fear waste could contaminate groundwater or create sanitation and health problems.
A. Varadharajan, president of the Karisal Bhoomi Farmers Association, said the river is an important water source for Muthulapuram and nearby villages, including Ayan Rajapatti, Thappathi, M. Kottur and Ayan Vadamalapuram. He raised particular concern about the monsoon, when rising water can spill beyond the riverbanks and could, in residents’ view, carry waste from the facility into the river. John Kennedy, a resident of M. Kottur, also called on the government to consider another location.
The local concerns come as officials weigh a site intended to treat waste from a wide rural catchment. A District Rural Development Agency representative said the land had only been proposed, not selected. The official also said the location was not classified as watercourse poramboke and that the department was examining alternative sites. The location decision therefore remains open while the agency continues its review.
Residents want assurance that the project can be placed and operated without endangering water sources used by villages in the area. The agency’s confirmation that it is considering other sites leaves room for further assessment before a final choice is made. No final site or construction decision was reported in the available material.