Environmentalist Who Rejuvenated A Vadodara Stream Now Cleaning 120-KM Long River In Tamil Nadu
The Thamirabarani River also known as Porunai River which flows through Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts of Tamil Nadu, has a huge historic, cultural, and religious significance in the state.
Archeological remains from one of the?earliest know civilizations in India to date, which is at least 3,200 years old were found in Sivakalai?near the Thamirabarani river in the Thoothukudi district.
Papanasam, a village in the Tirunelveli district, which is also a famous Hindu pilgrimage site is also located on the banks of the river.
How water of?Thamirabarani River turned toxic
Like most waterbodies, the Thamirabarani, which is Tamil Nadu's only perennial river is also struggling with pollution, which is slowly killing it.
A mix of industrial discharge, sewage, and water hyacinth are making the river, which is the main source of water supply to many towns including Tirunelveli toxic.
A young environmentalist is currently leading the mammoth effort to rejuvenate the Thamirabarani river which is over 120 km long.
Sneha Shahi, who is pursuing her Ph.D. in Extreme Hydrological Events at Ashoka Trust For Research In Ecology And The Environment (ATREE) Bengaluru is on a mission to revive the waterbody, with the help of her team of experts, local volunteers, and students.
Who is?Sneha Shahi?
Sneha a native of Vadodara, Gujarat has been recognised internationally including by the United Nations for her work in plastic waste management and water conservation.
As a Master's student of Environmental Sciences at Maharaja Sayajirao University Shena worked with Centre for Environment Education (CEE) on?plastic waste?and later on the Bhuki stream restoration project.
"Since it is the only perennial river in Tamil Nadu, it supports a lot of agriculture and biodiversity. Currently, it is getting polluted at a very fast extreme. My study is to find what factors are affecting the health of the river and if climate change has any role in it. The end game is to establish observatories so that even after our team leaves, the locals can carry forward the rejuvenation work," Sneha told?Indiatimes.?
What study so far found
The project which started in January this year is set to complete its first phase by March 2023.
Initial findings from the project suggest that the Thamirabarani river gets polluted due to industrial discharge and the dumping of solid waste, especially in the form of clothes and flowers by devotees visiting the Sri Papanasa Swami Temple.
It was also found that the baseflow of the river, which is the minimum amount of flow that has to be there throughout the year is reduced.
The growth of aquatic weeds, including invasive species has also been found along the river banks.
How?Sneha Shahi rejuvenated a stream in Vadodara
Sneha, who as a student, led the plastic clean-up and rejuvenation of the Bhukhi Nala stream in Vadodara hopes to bring the experience she gained from it to her new mission, though it is at a much larger scale this time.
"Bhukhi was a seven-kilometer stream, and this is a 140 km river, so in terms of logistical challenges it is bigger, fewer people were interacting with the stream as it looked more like a sewer and not a natural water body. What I have tried to do is to build up on what I learned in Vadodara," she said.
The stream was once home to a large population of crocodiles and turtles, but due to the uncontrolled dumping of plastic and other waste, the water in it turned inhospitable for them.?
"In cleaning the stream, the biggest challenge was mapping it. While doing it we realised that what now looks like a nala is a natural stream, which was originally 18 feet wide. In the first clean up drive we managed to remove some 700 kg plastic waste from the stream in just four hours," she said.?
The rejuvenation drive at the stream, which started in 2019 continues to date even after Sneha left the campus, through her juniors and their juniors has had a positive impact on its water quality.
"The water flow in Bhukhi has increased as there is now less plastic. Cleaner water also means the crocodiles and turtles are also back there, and the number of sightings has significantly increased," Sneha said.
Unplanned development killing water bodies
Sneha who started her first project with a handful of volunteers now works with a much larger team, comprising experts in various fields, volunteers, locals, and students.
Sneha blames unplanned development activities for the current poor state of water bodies across India.
"If you look across cities, unplanned developments have resulted in rivers and rivulets turning into sewers. Even in Bengaluru, all the lakes in the city were interconnected, which is not the case now, as they have been filled up, to build roads, buildings, and other infrastructure. We are to blame for destroying the water bodies and it is up on us to restore them. The restoration is an evolutionary process and it will take a lot of years," she said.?
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