more-in Wearing flashy costumes and masks, members of Vaigai Nathi Makkal Iyakkam, a collective of volunteers working for the protection of Vaigai river, visited residents on the riverside to drive home a message on World Water Day on Thursday. Their message was: ‘You can help in protecting the river by not throwing garbage into it.’ Ahead of the annual Chithirai festival in mid-April, the volunteers went door-to-door, speaking to the residents about the importance of protecting a precious water resource. “Residents on the banks dump all kinds of waste into it and industries let effluents into the Vaigai instead of taking care to protect the river and treat it as part of their home,” said S. Parthasarathy, a member of the movement. The forum had submitted several petitions to the Collector and Corporation Commissioner regarding the poor state of a river that catered to six districts. Little action had been taken, he said. The campaign that began at Ramarayar Mandapam gained momentum as young students from Alwarpuram joined them. They walked along the banks and spread the word. E. Gopika, Class Five student of a corporation school, said that it was a common sight to see people indiscriminately flinging bucket full of garbage into the bed. “We should have bumper bins as the Corporation people never collect garbage door-to-door,” she said. T. Palanivel Rajan, another member of the movement, said the Madurai Corporation also lets sewage into the river. “Sewage water from Government Rajaji Hospital flows into the river thanks to broken pipe lines,” he said. D.Pushpam, a 70-year-old resident of Alwarpuram, said only strict action by the Corporation would help solve many important river-related matters. Slapping fines would help in putting an end to open defecation and dumping waste into the river. But people needed more community toilets, she added.

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