Overgrowth of the invasive seemai karuvelam (Prosopis juliflora) in the dry riverbed of Palar covering Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts, is threatening the waterbody by blocking free flow of excess rainwater from reservoirs.
Officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD), which maintains the river, said that lack of provision for river cleaning work has hampered the removal of the plant, resulting in thick overgrowth in the river bed. The overgrowth of the plant has blocked the free flow of water in the river especially during monsoon when excess rainwater was released from the reservoirs.
“After informing us, voluntary organisations and colleges through their outreach activities can remove the plant in the dry river as a service. Even the civic body can do it for the same purpose. However, we cannot allocate funds for the cleaning work” said a WRD official.
