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Siruthuli
Nandangarai
Farmers in the upstream of river Noyyal requested Siruthuli for rejuvenation and restoration of the Nandangarai stream which feeds the river. The native knowledge of the farmers helped create a check dam accross the stream which today benefits more than 650 hectares of Agricultural land.
Anna University
Nestled amidst 140 + Acres of Anna University region Campus in Coimbatore is Kalam vanam where over 85000 trees have been planted.
Noyyal Yatra
Nearly 1,00,000 people walked a 33-km stretch as a pledge to revive the Noyyal, once the lifeline of this Kongu belt. The spontaneous turnout for the Noyyal Yatra confirmed that a people's movement to conserve water resources was gathering momentum
Periyakulam
Thoor Vaarum Thiruvizha ( Desilting Festival) saw Coimbatoreans bringing hearts and hands together every Sunday for over 6 weeks determined to bring back to life a 320 acre water body right in the middle of the city
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We aim to...

Create a lasting impact to the environment through community-led collective approach focussing on 5  pillars
  • Water watch
  • Green guard
  • Waste wise
  • Spread the word
  • Grow the farmer
What we do
Our Movement

The Story behind our Movement

Siruthuli has been a people’s movement since its inception in 2003 with the focus to Clean Kovai and Green Kovai and has worked relentlessly to restore water bodies, increase the green cover in the region that we have lost due to urbanization, create awareness among school children and citizens and manage both solid and liquid waste.

Water bodies desilted
0 +
cu.m storage capacity enhanced
0 M
Rain water harvesting structures created
0 +
Trees planted
0 M

Featured projects

Rainwater Harvesting

Rain Water Harvesting

Water supply has two primary sources, rivers, and groundwater. The rivers are affected due to the massive urbanization, pollution, waste dumping and poor management. Siruthuli has been involved in increasing the water supply by addressing both the principal sources: restoring the water bodies and also through groundwater recharge. Keeping in mind the fact that decentralized water harvesting and groundwater recharging are effective solutions to water scarcity and the ecological crisis perpetuated by the growing problems of groundwater depletion, harvesting rainwater initiatives were taken up by Siruthuli. A geo-hydrological study was carried out in the year 2004, the result of which suggested having a minimum of 2000 nos. of RWH structures across the city.

Moreover, since Coimbatore has hard rock strata , the groundwater table can be improved by directly feeding the aquifers using recharge structures with deep borewells. Accordingly, with the assistance of the Coimbatore Corporation 250 structures were constructed and rejuvenated a few years later with the help of the Rotary Clubs of Coimbatore. 365 structures were completed with financial assistance from the Ministry of Water Resources, New Delhi based on the efficacy of the project.  Further, 65 structures were completed through the corporate bodies which came forward to construct structures to harvest the rainwater falling on their premises. Another example where corporates, institutions, individuals, government and several stakeholders joined together to spread awareness to ensure Coimbatore did not run out of water. Studies show that with 100 mm rainfall on 1 hectare of land, 1 million litres of water can be harvested. Siruthuli has been engaged in the construction of both open structures and roadside structures to recharge the groundwater in several locations across the city.

In areas where water logging was prevalent after rainfall, the roadside structures built by Siruthuli not only helped drain the water but also used the run-off water for recharging the aquifers. Over the years, observation wells have been marked by Siruthuli in different zones and studies conducted. The failed borewells and open wells started yielding enough water for the farmers and industrialists and benefitted the community. Due to urbanisation and lack of space, Siruthuli also encourages roof-top rainwater harvesting techniques. These structures help the user become self-sufficient in water supply, providing easy use and implementation techniques to save not only water but also the environment. A recent report published by MoWR, New Delhi regarding a study that was conducted at 1161 locations in TamilNadu for 10 years from 2001 –2011 reveals that the groundwater levels of Coimbatore District have been raised by 13.92 meters, which is a great sign of the success of the project!!

Know more

Kumaran Kuttai

Kumaran Kuttai

One of them had drilled boreholes in 17 locations on his 2.5 acre land holding. Even at 1000 feet there was not a single drop of water available. This was the situation in the case of each and every farm land in the neighborhood. When team Siruthuli stepped in to do an initial survey to do a feasibility study, there was a surprise awaiting them. PWD had earlier constructed 8 check dams spanning a distance of 800 m in a cascading fashion on the sloping terrain. The 8th check dam had been completely washed away. The rest of the 7 check dams were in a highly damaged condition caused obviously by the speed of the water flow during the monsoons. The run off rain water from the southern part of horseshoe shaped range of Western ghats in the background apparently flows into this pond.

With mountains in the background, there must have been a lot of water running down the terrain after coursing through the check dams. A question we asked ourselves was – why not create a pond next to each check dam so that the rushing water can be made to stand and eventually sit in the lap of Mother Earth. This would help recharge the dried borewells in the adjoining farm lands. Siruthuli came up with various steps to rejuvenate the place . First and foremost was to repair and maintain the 7 check dams. Next was to increase the space between the check dams by deepening or desilting thereby increasing the water impounding area of each one. 6 percolation ponds were created using 7 check dams in a cascading manner by using each check dam as a surplus weir for each percolation pond.

The whole team were engrossed in executing each and every step and found that there were no farm bunds and trees to prevent soil erosion and to enhance the water percolation into the agricultural land. Gabion structures and gully plugs were constructed at strategic locations of the supply channel to slow down the speed of gushing rain water during the monsoons. Approach roads were made in the form of bunds using the desilted soil so that farmers could access their farmlands easily. 2000 trees were planted along the bunds to prevent soil erosion. About 130 million litres of rain water can be stored in the 6 percolation ponds. Kumarankuttai is a standing example of an ideal watershed project. The project was made possible by the generous support of Roots Group of Companies, Ms.Craftsman Automation Private Limited, Rotary club of Coimbatore Metropolis, City Union Bank . The farming community of Madhampatti also chipped in to contribute their token share. Bountiful monsoons filled all the cascading ponds which in turn resulted in dried up bore wells yielding water.

There was a total change in the colour of the terrain. What was brown and arid turned green and fertile. It was most heart warming when the farmers thanked us profusely saying that SIRUTHULI had prevented about 250 farming families from giving up agriculture through this unique project.

Know more

Nandangarai

Nandangarai

 They specifically requested for rejuvenating the Nandangarai stream which was nowhere visible to the SIRUTHULI team.  The mantra taught by Dr. Rajendra Singh was –  Where the water runs, make  it walk! (by building check dams and arresting the speed) Where it walks, make it  stand ( in water bodies) Where it stands, make it sit in the lap of Mother Earth ( through percolation) Nandangarai is one of the major streams of River Noyyal. “Seeing is believing” but team Siruthuli did not see any water in the vicinity when the farmers put forth their plea for a check dam. But trusting the farmer’s native knowledge, we decided to plunge headlong into the stream. With the support of District Collector Shri .V.Palani kumar and the Project Director of District Rural Development Authority(DRDA), we drew up a plan for the construction of a check dam under the Self Sufficiency Scheme (SSS). With a deep sense of belonging and gratitude for Mother Noyyal, Siruthuli was truly excited, although apprehensive, about venturing into constructing a check dam, with no prior experience. It was really encouraging to see many natural springs hidden under the shrub jungles which were yielding water. A fair share of the budget went into dewatering the entire area.

The construction of the check dam over the stream was completed in 2008 just before the commencement of the North East monsoon. With the onset of the monsoon, the farmers joyfully rejoiced when their dried borewells and open wells stood gleaming with water, thanks to the perennially overflowing Nandangarai check dam. Besides recharging the wells and serving as a water hole to the wild animals in the adjoining reserve forests, more than 650 hectares of farm lands have benefitted from the check dam. The check dam site also has the unique distinction of celebrating the 80th birthday of our guide and mentor Dr.APJ. Abdul Kalam, who planted a Jamun tree at the site to commemorate the occasion. Today the tree stands tall as a testimony to the efforts that Siruthuli has been making in the field of eco conservation and Dr Kalam’s blessings to continue our eco mission.

After 13 years, to our consternation, the storage capacity of the check dam seemed to have shrunk. Upon a detailed study, we found that more than half of the water impounding area had been filled with silt brought in by the stream from the hills along with the rain water. The local farmers also observed that the water levels in their wells had dipped. An appeal to the District Administration seeking permission for desilting the water body was promptly sanctioned. Thanks to the sponsors – HDB Financial Services and Lucid Imaging – the task of desilting the check dam was taken up. Working relentlessly night and day, the task could be completed in record time. This time around we were wise enough to construct gabion structures and a  stone check dam – Kallanai – on the streams to act as silt traps. These will help to remove the silt periodically. The project also significantly increased the water spread area. The total capacity of the check dam before desilting was 4906 cu.m and after desilting it is 7342 cu.m.

Know more

Rainwater Harvesting

Rain Water Harvesting

Water supply has two primary sources, rivers, and groundwater. The rivers are affected due to the massive urbanization, pollution, waste dumping and poor management. Siruthuli has been involved in increasing the water supply by addressing both the principal sources: restoring the water bodies and also through groundwater recharge. Keeping in mind the fact that decentralized water harvesting and groundwater recharging are effective solutions to water scarcity and the ecological crisis perpetuated by the growing problems of groundwater depletion, harvesting rainwater initiatives were taken up by Siruthuli. A geo-hydrological study was carried out in the year 2004, the result of which suggested having a minimum of 2000 nos. of RWH structures across the city.

Moreover, since Coimbatore has hard rock strata , the groundwater table can be improved by directly feeding the aquifers using recharge structures with deep borewells. Accordingly, with the assistance of the Coimbatore Corporation 250 structures were constructed and rejuvenated a few years later with the help of the Rotary Clubs of Coimbatore. 365 structures were completed with financial assistance from the Ministry of Water Resources, New Delhi based on the efficacy of the project.  Further, 65 structures were completed through the corporate bodies which came forward to construct structures to harvest the rainwater falling on their premises. Another example where corporates, institutions, individuals, government and several stakeholders joined together to spread awareness to ensure Coimbatore did not run out of water. Studies show that with 100 mm rainfall on 1 hectare of land, 1 million litres of water can be harvested. Siruthuli has been engaged in the construction of both open structures and roadside structures to recharge the groundwater in several locations across the city.

In areas where water logging was prevalent after rainfall, the roadside structures built by Siruthuli not only helped drain the water but also used the run-off water for recharging the aquifers. Over the years, observation wells have been marked by Siruthuli in different zones and studies conducted. The failed borewells and open wells started yielding enough water for the farmers and industrialists and benefitted the community. Due to urbanisation and lack of space, Siruthuli also encourages roof-top rainwater harvesting techniques. These structures help the user become self-sufficient in water supply, providing easy use and implementation techniques to save not only water but also the environment. A recent report published by MoWR, New Delhi regarding a study that was conducted at 1161 locations in TamilNadu for 10 years from 2001 –2011 reveals that the groundwater levels of Coimbatore District have been raised by 13.92 meters, which is a great sign of the success of the project!!

Know more

Kumaran Kuttai

Kumaran Kuttai

One of them had drilled boreholes in 17 locations on his 2.5 acre land holding. Even at 1000 feet there was not a single drop of water available. This was the situation in the case of each and every farm land in the neighborhood. When team Siruthuli stepped in to do an initial survey to do a feasibility study, there was a surprise awaiting them. PWD had earlier constructed 8 check dams spanning a distance of 800 m in a cascading fashion on the sloping terrain. The 8th check dam had been completely washed away. The rest of the 7 check dams were in a highly damaged condition caused obviously by the speed of the water flow during the monsoons. The run off rain water from the southern part of horseshoe shaped range of Western ghats in the background apparently flows into this pond.

With mountains in the background, there must have been a lot of water running down the terrain after coursing through the check dams. A question we asked ourselves was – why not create a pond next to each check dam so that the rushing water can be made to stand and eventually sit in the lap of Mother Earth. This would help recharge the dried borewells in the adjoining farm lands. Siruthuli came up with various steps to rejuvenate the place . First and foremost was to repair and maintain the 7 check dams. Next was to increase the space between the check dams by deepening or desilting thereby increasing the water impounding area of each one. 6 percolation ponds were created using 7 check dams in a cascading manner by using each check dam as a surplus weir for each percolation pond.

The whole team were engrossed in executing each and every step and found that there were no farm bunds and trees to prevent soil erosion and to enhance the water percolation into the agricultural land. Gabion structures and gully plugs were constructed at strategic locations of the supply channel to slow down the speed of gushing rain water during the monsoons. Approach roads were made in the form of bunds using the desilted soil so that farmers could access their farmlands easily. 2000 trees were planted along the bunds to prevent soil erosion. About 130 million litres of rain water can be stored in the 6 percolation ponds. Kumarankuttai is a standing example of an ideal watershed project. The project was made possible by the generous support of Roots Group of Companies, Ms.Craftsman Automation Private Limited, Rotary club of Coimbatore Metropolis, City Union Bank . The farming community of Madhampatti also chipped in to contribute their token share. Bountiful monsoons filled all the cascading ponds which in turn resulted in dried up bore wells yielding water.

There was a total change in the colour of the terrain. What was brown and arid turned green and fertile. It was most heart warming when the farmers thanked us profusely saying that SIRUTHULI had prevented about 250 farming families from giving up agriculture through this unique project.

Know more

SPB-VANAM

SPB Vanam, Pachapalayam

Rapid urbanization and population explosion have increased urban sprawl leading to the depletion of forest cover. Coimbatore, known for its salubrious climate and green cover, underwent a major transition with all the trees along major transit roads being axed. From 2001 to 2021, Coimbatore lost 1.09kha of tree cover, equivalent to a 1.3% decrease in tree cover since 2000, and 539kt of CO₂e emissions. Over the years, the people of Coimbatore  could  feel  the  change  in  the  climate  and  reduction  in  water  availability caused by groundwater depletion. Siruthuli realized the need to intensify efforts to increase green cover in the region, expand lung space, improve soil and aid in the overall ecosystem.

Over the last several years, many initiatives have been taken along with various organizations to increase green cover. Shri S.P Balasubramanyam, Padma Bhushan Awardee, was a singer who left an indelible mark in the field of music, his demise created a huge void in the hearts of hundreds of music lovers. During his last virtual music program he had specifically mentioned that COVID is a price we are paying for abusing Mother Earth, he encouraged listeners to participate in eco-conservation. In response to this, Siruthuli along with Perur Chettipalayam panchayat launched SPB Vanam , having a pathway in the shape of a treble clef musical note having 74 trees of 21 varieties commemorating 74 glorious years of the legendary singer. The unique feature of the project is that the trees from whose wood musical instruments are made are considered. 14 varieties of trees used for musical instruments like rosewood, red sanders, neem, silver oak, vengai, teak, bamboo, panruti jackfruit, sandal, mango, ebony, and mahogany were sourced to add a musical flavour. 5 varieties of Sthala Vrikshams found in heritage temples like Kadamba, Marudham, Mahizham, Nagalingam, Vanni and Vilvam and trees symbolic to his birth star Punnai and Shenbagam were considered so he would live on through the trees and the birds that visit the vanam sing lullabies in a perfect tribute to the musical legend. Shri SPB Charan and Smt SPB Sailaja sent video messages supporting the initiative as they could not participate in person due to COVID restrictions.

The stage was set for 10th December 2020 with all arrangements made. The Chief Guest of the event was Padma Shri Awardee, Mr Vivekh – Actor and Founder of Green Kalam (Sai Prasanna Foundation) who inaugurated the Vanam along with Shri Ettimadai A Shanmugam, Member of Legislative assembly from Kinathukadavu Constituency. Mr Vivekh who has been a supporter and has been associated with Siruthuli in several of the initiatives spoke at the event appreciating Siruthuli's effort to increase the green cover of the region and commemorating Siruthuli for becoming a Peruvellam now. He appreciated the efforts undertaken by Siruthuli in revamping a sewage ridden Periyakulam into an admirable lake today. Mr. Vivekh recollected the incident when our Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam asked him to start a green initiative to plant trees. Clueless on where to start, the Late President’s office directed him to seek the support of Siruthuli. Siruthuli provided 1 Lakh saplings to Green Kalam NGO and helped them flag off their green journey. He lauded the unique idea of tree saplings and the Treble Clef design conceptualised by Siruthuli for the Vanam. This project was executed with ease with the support of the members of Perur Chettipalayam Panchayat, the youth of Pachapalayam village and the Officers Colony Residents Welfare Association. The local community have taken up the responsibility for the project and has promised to nurture the saplings. Today 74 saplings of 21 varieties of trees stand tall in the Vanam to commemorate SPB’s 74 golden years.

It is with a joyful heart that we firmly believe that SPB will live on among us through these trees , birds and bees that will be humming along with the legend!

Know more

Hope vanam

Hope Vanam

Siruthuli has been involved in various afforestation activities since to increase green cover, expand lung space, enrich the soil and help the overall ecosystem. Planting a tree is planting hope for the future. This was the case for the 10.75-acre land belonging to the Railways adjacent to the Ondipudur flyover. The site was a blemish sight for passersby for many years filled with thorny bushes especially the meddlesome SeemaiKaruvelam (Prosopis Julifora) True to the mission of Siruthuli to create massive green spaces that would serve as oxygen factories for the surrounding concrete jungle, Siruthuli approached the IRSME of Southern Railways Shri U Subba Rao to discuss utilizing the space for plantation and received the go-ahead. A big ray of hope in the form of Ms Minal Jeswani approached Siruthuli, a Coimbatorean who had moved to the US. Having heard about the effectiveness of Siruthuli’s Miyawaki plantation, she sought help in establishing the same within the city. The approval from Railways, and the proposed project aligned when Ms Minal came forward to fund the project through the agency Home of Hope along with Spark Round table 323 and Rotary Club of Coimbatore Smart city. The bhoomi pooja for the project site was performed on 25th Jun 2020 and the project was named “Hope Vanam” to acknowledge the sponsorship of Home of Hope and to signify the importance of converting barren lands into spaces that provide for the future generations.

The project which began with removing thorny bushes proved challenging with almost six feet of building debris and garbage below the undergrowth, the work that was planned for 15 days took nearly three months to complete. Since the debris could not be moved out of the site as per regulations of the Railways, bunds were created on the Northern and Southern boundaries using debris. A low-cost filtration system was designed to treat the sewage channel running through the site, the water from which is being used to water the saplings planted in the Vanam. A sedimentation tank has also been constructed to filter the sludge in the sewage. The inauguration along with Phase I plantation took place on 3rd October 2020 and was attended by Shri Subba Rao,IRSME-Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, Shri Annadurai, IRSS Addl DRM, Round Table Area 7 Chairman Mr. Pradeep Rajappa and Rotary Asst.Governor Rtn.Shri Mayilswamy, who were the Chief Guests. Siruthuli represented by the Managing Trustee Smt. Vanitha Mohan, Forests First Convenor Shri V.Chandrasekar, Apex members and staff along with various volunteers took part in the plantation of 15000 trees. 6450 saplings were planted in Phase II and 9336 saplings in Phase III, making a total of 30786 consisting of 25 varieties like Punnai, Martha, Magizham, Pungan, Poovarasan, Neem etc. contributing to a large green space in the region.

Hope Vanam, developed with passion and dedication, stands as a perfect example of the process of rebuilding an environment with the involvement of the right stakeholders. The sewage water, which is being treated and used for watering the saplings is an added value in turning around things that were once bad, which provides hope for a better tomorrow.

Know more

Vilankurichi plantation

Vilankurichi plantation

From 2013 to 2020, 72% of tree cover loss in Coimbatore occurred within natural forest. The total loss within natural forest was equivalent to 227kt of CO₂e emissions. Siruthuli has thus been engaged in creating urban forests to increase the green cover, improve lung space, enrich soil and aid in the overall ecosystem to compensate for the loss. Dr Krishnan Swaminathan, founder of Idhayangal Charitable Trust approached Siruthuli to create a green space at a reserve site at Villankurichi. Having heard of Siruthuli’s effort in afforestation following the Miyawaki method, Dr Krishnan wanted to implement the same along with generating awareness about Type-1 diabetes in children.

The plantation was carried out with the active participation of children diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes on 21st November 2020. The event was presided over by Dr Krishnan along with residents of the Green Field Housing Society, Smt Vanitha Mohan, Managing Trustee and the team from Siruthuli. 300 native trees were planted and the importance of plantation and conservation and information on type-1 diabetes was emphasized. Siruthuli has always strived to create awareness on the need to participate in eco-conservation and tree-planting by involving various stakeholders such as children, residents around locality to ensure the plantation site is maintained, and ensured that everyone is aware of the types of species that are planted are native to the region and encouraged youngsters to take part in the activity over the years.

Know more

SPB-VANAM

SPB Vanam, Pachapalayam

Rapid urbanization and population explosion have increased urban sprawl leading to the depletion of forest cover. Coimbatore, known for its salubrious climate and green cover, underwent a major transition with all the trees along major transit roads being axed. From 2001 to 2021, Coimbatore lost 1.09kha of tree cover, equivalent to a 1.3% decrease in tree cover since 2000, and 539kt of CO₂e emissions. Over the years, the people of Coimbatore  could  feel  the  change  in  the  climate  and  reduction  in  water  availability caused by groundwater depletion. Siruthuli realized the need to intensify efforts to increase green cover in the region, expand lung space, improve soil and aid in the overall ecosystem.

Over the last several years, many initiatives have been taken along with various organizations to increase green cover. Shri S.P Balasubramanyam, Padma Bhushan Awardee, was a singer who left an indelible mark in the field of music, his demise created a huge void in the hearts of hundreds of music lovers. During his last virtual music program he had specifically mentioned that COVID is a price we are paying for abusing Mother Earth, he encouraged listeners to participate in eco-conservation. In response to this, Siruthuli along with Perur Chettipalayam panchayat launched SPB Vanam , having a pathway in the shape of a treble clef musical note having 74 trees of 21 varieties commemorating 74 glorious years of the legendary singer. The unique feature of the project is that the trees from whose wood musical instruments are made are considered. 14 varieties of trees used for musical instruments like rosewood, red sanders, neem, silver oak, vengai, teak, bamboo, panruti jackfruit, sandal, mango, ebony, and mahogany were sourced to add a musical flavour. 5 varieties of Sthala Vrikshams found in heritage temples like Kadamba, Marudham, Mahizham, Nagalingam, Vanni and Vilvam and trees symbolic to his birth star Punnai and Shenbagam were considered so he would live on through the trees and the birds that visit the vanam sing lullabies in a perfect tribute to the musical legend. Shri SPB Charan and Smt SPB Sailaja sent video messages supporting the initiative as they could not participate in person due to COVID restrictions.

The stage was set for 10th December 2020 with all arrangements made. The Chief Guest of the event was Padma Shri Awardee, Mr Vivekh – Actor and Founder of Green Kalam (Sai Prasanna Foundation) who inaugurated the Vanam along with Shri Ettimadai A Shanmugam, Member of Legislative assembly from Kinathukadavu Constituency. Mr Vivekh who has been a supporter and has been associated with Siruthuli in several of the initiatives spoke at the event appreciating Siruthuli's effort to increase the green cover of the region and commemorating Siruthuli for becoming a Peruvellam now. He appreciated the efforts undertaken by Siruthuli in revamping a sewage ridden Periyakulam into an admirable lake today. Mr. Vivekh recollected the incident when our Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam asked him to start a green initiative to plant trees. Clueless on where to start, the Late President’s office directed him to seek the support of Siruthuli. Siruthuli provided 1 Lakh saplings to Green Kalam NGO and helped them flag off their green journey. He lauded the unique idea of tree saplings and the Treble Clef design conceptualised by Siruthuli for the Vanam. This project was executed with ease with the support of the members of Perur Chettipalayam Panchayat, the youth of Pachapalayam village and the Officers Colony Residents Welfare Association. The local community have taken up the responsibility for the project and has promised to nurture the saplings. Today 74 saplings of 21 varieties of trees stand tall in the Vanam to commemorate SPB’s 74 golden years.

It is with a joyful heart that we firmly believe that SPB will live on among us through these trees , birds and bees that will be humming along with the legend!

Know more

Hope vanam

Hope Vanam

Siruthuli has been involved in various afforestation activities since to increase green cover, expand lung space, enrich the soil and help the overall ecosystem. Planting a tree is planting hope for the future. This was the case for the 10.75-acre land belonging to the Railways adjacent to the Ondipudur flyover. The site was a blemish sight for passersby for many years filled with thorny bushes especially the meddlesome SeemaiKaruvelam (Prosopis Julifora) True to the mission of Siruthuli to create massive green spaces that would serve as oxygen factories for the surrounding concrete jungle, Siruthuli approached the IRSME of Southern Railways Shri U Subba Rao to discuss utilizing the space for plantation and received the go-ahead. A big ray of hope in the form of Ms Minal Jeswani approached Siruthuli, a Coimbatorean who had moved to the US. Having heard about the effectiveness of Siruthuli’s Miyawaki plantation, she sought help in establishing the same within the city. The approval from Railways, and the proposed project aligned when Ms Minal came forward to fund the project through the agency Home of Hope along with Spark Round table 323 and Rotary Club of Coimbatore Smart city. The bhoomi pooja for the project site was performed on 25th Jun 2020 and the project was named “Hope Vanam” to acknowledge the sponsorship of Home of Hope and to signify the importance of converting barren lands into spaces that provide for the future generations.

The project which began with removing thorny bushes proved challenging with almost six feet of building debris and garbage below the undergrowth, the work that was planned for 15 days took nearly three months to complete. Since the debris could not be moved out of the site as per regulations of the Railways, bunds were created on the Northern and Southern boundaries using debris. A low-cost filtration system was designed to treat the sewage channel running through the site, the water from which is being used to water the saplings planted in the Vanam. A sedimentation tank has also been constructed to filter the sludge in the sewage. The inauguration along with Phase I plantation took place on 3rd October 2020 and was attended by Shri Subba Rao,IRSME-Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, Shri Annadurai, IRSS Addl DRM, Round Table Area 7 Chairman Mr. Pradeep Rajappa and Rotary Asst.Governor Rtn.Shri Mayilswamy, who were the Chief Guests. Siruthuli represented by the Managing Trustee Smt. Vanitha Mohan, Forests First Convenor Shri V.Chandrasekar, Apex members and staff along with various volunteers took part in the plantation of 15000 trees. 6450 saplings were planted in Phase II and 9336 saplings in Phase III, making a total of 30786 consisting of 25 varieties like Punnai, Martha, Magizham, Pungan, Poovarasan, Neem etc. contributing to a large green space in the region.

Hope Vanam, developed with passion and dedication, stands as a perfect example of the process of rebuilding an environment with the involvement of the right stakeholders. The sewage water, which is being treated and used for watering the saplings is an added value in turning around things that were once bad, which provides hope for a better tomorrow.

Know more

Home Composting

Give your garden soil some love , it will love you back. Coimbatore has been known for its salubrious climate, copious rains and more importantly the river Noyyal connected by its various system tanks. In the year 2003, monsoon failures along with gross water mismanagement and environmental abuse led to climate variations and water shortage. Siruthuli was born to address the reasons for mismanagement, revive and rejuvenate water bodies thereby contributing to an increase in groundwater levels. Along with reviving water bodies, creating a sense of awareness was one of the main objectives. In the process of rejuvenation and revival of water bodies, it was a common sight to see garbage bins overflowing and waste scattered generating foul smells. The eco-conscious members of Siruthuli were disheartened to see waterbodies with plastic waste, and animals like cattle feeding on these. There was a need for awareness on the management of waste and waste segregation. The city of Coimbatore generates close to 900 tonnes of waste and 150 MLD of sewage waste. Awareness generation on proper waste management and disposal was imperative for the environment and the entire ecosystem, as it is rightly said there is no such thing as ‘away’, when we throw anything, it must go somewhere.

Siruthuli realized that the garbage generated from individual homes, apartments, and communities was alarming. Over 50% of the waste generated at home is compostable and can be reused and there was a need for a large-scale change in mindset. Unsegregated waste dumped over the years at Vellalore garbage yard was over 5 lakh MT causing pollution, affecting the environment, causing bad odour, harbouring flies and other insects and contaminating groundwater. When waste is segregated at the source, the organic waste can be composted and used as manure for the soil that promotes better plant growth. With this, Siruthuli started the campaign, of home composting and encouraged various communities to participate in this. What started at one of the housing communities expanded to others. Siruthuli encouraged home communities by generating awareness that composting at home enriches the soil by retaining moisture and nutrients. It keeps chemicals out and helps in producing organic vegetables and fruits at home. Composting not only keeps the materials out of the landfill but also saves energy by keeping materials from being transported. Keeping materials out of landfills reduces methane emissions and thus reduces our carbon footprint. By generating the awareness to refuse what is not needed, reduce what you consume, recycle what you cannot refuse and reuse or compost the rest the campaign was started.

Siruthuli through other awareness programmes like Sittukaludan Siruthuli, Wealth out of waste, Grow your own food ,and Terrace gardening, took these lessons and importance to create interesting knowledge sharing practical sessions both for kids as well as adults to start composting at home, grow their own food, and be conscious of not harming the environment. Today several individuals, home communities, schools and others are benefitting from the awareness programs and have started segregating waste and generating wealth out of waste. When you start composting, you see the value of “waste”.

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Terrace Gardening

Terrace Gardening

These gardens can be created in any space like residential flats, individual houses, commercial establishments , godowns and factories that have space on the rooftop. This allows for space utilization where land costs are sky-high. A roof that holds a special place in several households, can be converted into a greener and cooler location inviting friendly birds and creating space for recreation. Siruthuli’s campaign to generate wealth out of waste was born to ensure segregation at the source and utilization of compostable material to generate manure. Apart from home composting, Siruthuli took the initiative to encourage the use of rooftops for gardening to utilize space and lower the temperature.

Siruthuli’s initiative educates people on using compost which is the black gold from home composting to use as manure for the plants on the rooftop without the use of any harmful chemicals or fertilizers. The terrace garden set up at Situhuli’s Noyyal Life Centre is an example of the practice in- house where several fruits and vegetables bearing plants are grown and available for display during awareness sessions. Siruthuli’s campaigns for the terrace garden initiatives aim to increase the awareness of the advantages of creating terrace gardens such as reduction in indoor temperature, reduction in air conditioning cost, reduction in overall heat absorption of buildings, insulation of the buildings against extreme weather, increase in the amount of oxygen , reduction of sound pollution and acting as good habitat for birds. Siruthuli encourages the use of terrace gardens to generate wealth out of waste, especially in urban areas where space is a constraint and spreads this awareness through various programs conducted for schools, colleges and corporates. Apart from awareness sessions, in-house workshops are conducted for first-time users to get started on the do’s and don’ts of composting and how it is being done. Siruthuli has reached several communities, schools, colleges and individuals through these workshops and created a mindset change.

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nadikarai nagarigam

Nadhikarai Nagarigam

The first civilizations were formed on the banks of the beautiful rivers. The most notable ones are the Ancient Egyptians, who were based on the Nile, the Mesopotamians in the Fertile Crescent on the Tigris/Euphrates rivers, the Ancient Chinese on the Yellow River, and Ancient India on the river Indus. Rivers were the most attractive locations for the first civilizations because they provided a steady supply of potable water and made the land fertile for growing crops. Moreover, transportation of goods and people were made easy, and the people in these civilizations could fish and hunt the animals that came to drink water from the river providing them livelihood. Early river valley civilizations were considered as hydraulic empires which maintained power through unique control over access to water. This system of governance arose through the need for flood control and irrigation, which required central coordination and a specialised bureaucracy. River valleys are known as 'Cradles of Civilizations' because primordial people settled on the banks of rivers and civilizations prospered there.

Siruthuli wanted to emphasis on the fact that the river bed is the mother of all the growth and development. To create awareness among people Siruthuli team organised an event known as ‘ Nadhikarai Nagarigam’ where children from several schools enthusiastically participated to exhibit their knowledge and understanding about River valley civilization through demonstration models and cultural activities. Cultural events were organised to add more colour and liveliness to the event. The importance of preserving and maintaining our culture and heritage through our rivers was stressed, and children participated with great enthusiasm.

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Nurture Nature Camp

Nurture Nature Camp

Siruthuli team realized that creating awareness among the school community would bring in puissant impact to the cause. It all started in 2007, as a two day event in VOC park where the children would gather near the Pachanayagi tree and listen to sessions given by eminent people and environmental enthusiasts and learn from them. Later it became an event for an entire week where children from various schools would participate in various sessions. After a break of 2 years , the Nurture Nature Camp resumed in 2022 at the VOC park. It was a bright sunny day , when little cherubs from different schools gathered near Pachai Nayagi , VOC park with all zeal to take part in the camp. Dr G S Sameeran, the first citizen of Coimbatore , addressed the children with enthusiasm. He had a casual discussion with the children asking them about the various things they observed in the park. He made a count of 27 different things that the little children mentioned. He was fascinated by the Magizham poo tree and said they mention it as Ilanchi poo in their place and there is a 400 year old tree in front of his house . We could feel the sense of nostalgia he was holding when he discussed his home .

The Collector discussed how the Bats act as a carrier for various types of organisms to spread the disease and how human beings and birds act as carrier to a lot of plant species . We should try to understand the fact that everything in the universe is related and has a significance . Later the children were taken to the Noyyal Life centre where they listened to the sessions on various thematic areas such as Water, Forests, Waste, Biodiversity etc. Each day of the camp is curated with care, to take the children through the importance of various aspects of environment and the importance to preserve them. The children are also educated on the natural / made-made resources in the city and taken around the city to educate them. Various hands on and interactive sessions are also organised which help the children involve in activities and understand their responsibility towards protecting Nature. Learning by doing is the best way to learn and what better than to get involved with Nature enthusiasts in Siruthuli.
What nature teaches us is “Lets Learn to Let others Live”

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Namadhu Valankulam

Namadhu Valankulam

Valankulam tank  is one of the largest tanks situated in the south zone of the city with the southern bund connecting Trichy Road in Sungam and the northern part connecting the Palghat /Pollachi Road in the Ukkadam region. A bypass road laid by the Highways Department connects Sungam and Ukkadam over a length of 2.8 km. Though it is located in the heart of the city, it seems to be a glorified sewage tank due to the flow of sewage water. Due to the sewage in the tank, it has become a breeding ground for water hyacinth. Valankulam mainly serves the area by recharging the aquifers on the southern and eastern sides of Coimbatore. This sector is a very important place as it contains the Collectorate, Bus stand, Railway station, host of Educational establishments, Hospitals, Industries, Airport, Government Offices etc., and therefore it is extremely important to the citizens of Coimbatore and the large visiting population from neighbouring states. 

On the day of the campaign, Siruthuli invited people from all walks of life to participate in this one-kilometre long signature and art exposition on canvas. The one-kilometre long cloth banner was fixed on Sungam bypass Road (on the bund of ValanKulam)  from 8 a.m. onwards to facilitate the signature campaign and art exposition where thousands of people turned up in support of the campaign.  Shri G.K.Sundaram – Chairman Lakshmi Groups of Companies a reputed citizen of Coimbatore inaugurated the campaign and hoisted the national flag. General Public, students and teachers from all the Educational Institutions, Service Organisations, Industrial establishments and associations of all kinds pledged their solidarity for the cause by joining this campaign. It is estimated that about 6000 participants showed their unanimity by signing  in the campaign.  After many years Valankulam has reached the maximum water level during the subsequent rains. The total tank bed area of Valankulam is 160 acres. Surplus water from periakulam and the rainwater from the city are the principal sources of water for this tank. When the tank was restored to regain its pristine self, it again became the abode of migratory birds with different flora and fauna.

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nadikarai nagarigam

Nadhikarai Nagarigam

The first civilizations were formed on the banks of the beautiful rivers. The most notable ones are the Ancient Egyptians, who were based on the Nile, the Mesopotamians in the Fertile Crescent on the Tigris/Euphrates rivers, the Ancient Chinese on the Yellow River, and Ancient India on the river Indus. Rivers were the most attractive locations for the first civilizations because they provided a steady supply of potable water and made the land fertile for growing crops. Moreover, transportation of goods and people were made easy, and the people in these civilizations could fish and hunt the animals that came to drink water from the river providing them livelihood. Early river valley civilizations were considered as hydraulic empires which maintained power through unique control over access to water. This system of governance arose through the need for flood control and irrigation, which required central coordination and a specialised bureaucracy. River valleys are known as 'Cradles of Civilizations' because primordial people settled on the banks of rivers and civilizations prospered there.

Siruthuli wanted to emphasis on the fact that the river bed is the mother of all the growth and development. To create awareness among people Siruthuli team organised an event known as ‘ Nadhikarai Nagarigam’ where children from several schools enthusiastically participated to exhibit their knowledge and understanding about River valley civilization through demonstration models and cultural activities. Cultural events were organised to add more colour and liveliness to the event. The importance of preserving and maintaining our culture and heritage through our rivers was stressed, and children participated with great enthusiasm.

Know more

Nurture Nature Camp

Nurture Nature Camp

Siruthuli team realized that creating awareness among the school community would bring in puissant impact to the cause. It all started in 2007, as a two day event in VOC park where the children would gather near the Pachanayagi tree and listen to sessions given by eminent people and environmental enthusiasts and learn from them. Later it became an event for an entire week where children from various schools would participate in various sessions. After a break of 2 years , the Nurture Nature Camp resumed in 2022 at the VOC park. It was a bright sunny day , when little cherubs from different schools gathered near Pachai Nayagi , VOC park with all zeal to take part in the camp. Dr G S Sameeran, the first citizen of Coimbatore , addressed the children with enthusiasm. He had a casual discussion with the children asking them about the various things they observed in the park. He made a count of 27 different things that the little children mentioned. He was fascinated by the Magizham poo tree and said they mention it as Ilanchi poo in their place and there is a 400 year old tree in front of his house . We could feel the sense of nostalgia he was holding when he discussed his home .

The Collector discussed how the Bats act as a carrier for various types of organisms to spread the disease and how human beings and birds act as carrier to a lot of plant species . We should try to understand the fact that everything in the universe is related and has a significance . Later the children were taken to the Noyyal Life centre where they listened to the sessions on various thematic areas such as Water, Forests, Waste, Biodiversity etc. Each day of the camp is curated with care, to take the children through the importance of various aspects of environment and the importance to preserve them. The children are also educated on the natural / made-made resources in the city and taken around the city to educate them. Various hands on and interactive sessions are also organised which help the children involve in activities and understand their responsibility towards protecting Nature. Learning by doing is the best way to learn and what better than to get involved with Nature enthusiasts in Siruthuli.
What nature teaches us is “Lets Learn to Let others Live”

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Grow the farmer

Grow the Farmer

Siruthuli was born in the year 2003 by social and ecological conscious industrialists of Coimbatore who were quick to assess the deteriorating ecological situation and initiate remedial actions, a noble initiative striving towards restoring Coimbatore with its original aqua and eco conditions.  Over the years, Siruthuli strived to work towards creating a better environment through four major pillars: water watch involved in restoration and rejuvenation of waterbodies, watershed management and groundwater augmentation, green guard involved in afforestation efforts to expand green spaces and enrich the soil, waste wise involved in managing the waste generated and awareness generation by reaching out to children, youth, corporates, communities and individuals to be eco- warriors. These efforts have benefitted several communities including the farmers who are the backbone of our economy.   The COVID crisis left a lasting impact on the world, FOOD was on top of every person’s needs even during the lockdown.  It was ironic that people were desperate for food but farmers across the country were not able to sell their produce. Siruthuli created an opportunity during this adversity for the farmer by creating a fifth pillar “Grow the farmer” to prevent a frightening situation.  

Grow the farmer initiative aims to help the farmer through multiple initiatives like knowledge sharing, efficient sourcing of inputs, crop planning, enabling fair price, and improved storage facility and logistics. The Akshaya Tritiya that year, the real gold Turmeric was celebrated through this initiative.

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MATHUVARAYAPURAM WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Mathuvarayapuram Watershed Management

Some of the very prominent activities are as follows:
The prime and foremost effort made was the  removal of encroachments along the river, laying of boundary stones and formation of demarcation bunds of the River from the origin. Next was the   desiltation of 7 tanks out of 31 tanks in the Noyyal River System. Then came the desiltation of Chithrai Chavadi Anicut – Out of 21 anicuts in the Noyyal River System. This was followed by the construction of a new water body in the foothills of Western Ghats – Nandangarai Check Dam which can hold 150 million litres of water, thus benefiting about 1500 hectares of farming land.

Siruthuli took up the Mathuvarayapuram Watershed Development project. Madhvarayapuram village is  located at the foothills of the Western Ghats, near the origin of River Noyyal. A micro-level watershed programme was sanctioned by NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development) to treat 1300 ha of agricultural land. This comes under the Noyyal river basin which sprawls over 3550 sq km [355000 H.a] covering 4 districts namely Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Karur. The first phase of the watershed project is the Capacity Building Phase which will cover an area of 100 ha. After the successful completion of this Phase, the Full Implementation Phase will follow which covers the balance of 1200 ha of agricultural land. This project is a long-term wish  of the farming community in Nallurvayal, Sadivayal, Alandurai, Madhvarayapuram and Kallipalayam areas. Siruthuli was constantly interacting with the farmers of these regions and they were also taken for an educational jaunt to the Kadavakurichi watershed project implemented by the Centre for Improved Rural Health and Environmental Protection [CIRHEP], Nilakottai Taluk of Dindigul District in 2008. The CIRHEP representative gave a presentation on various components executed in the project area and the distinct roles played by the community, the implementing agency and the funding agency, NABARD.

A Village Watershed Committee was formed with the beneficiary farmers for ensuring smooth and effective execution of works. The watershed area selected for Capacity Building Phase (CBP) starts from the foothills, its topography is plain with a gentle slope towards the North and East. There are two streams draining out from the hills that flow along the Southern and Western boundaries of the watershed area. The area selected is practising a mono-cropping system during North-East Monsoon with paddy being the main crop. As per the norms of NABARD, shramdaan works were carried out by the beneficiary farmers towards which they contributed 720 men days for the clearing of bushes for 400m, removal of blocks along the canal ensuring free flow of water for 400m, sectioning of the canal for 400m and desiltation of 3 existing check dams. The process carried out during the Capacity Building Phase was clearing the water distribution canals, gully plugs across the water channel, gabion structures across the dams and streams ,diversion weir at water-sharing locations, ploughing in cultivable fallow lands, distribution of fruit-bearing tree saplings, income generation programmes for the landless such as backyard poultry, petty shop, revolving fund and training on agriculture for farmers and on IGP for landless. Following the successful completion of the CBP, the Full implementation Phase of the remaining 1200 ha will be taken up for 3 years.

After completion of the Full implementation of the Mathuvarayapuram Watershed project, Siruthuli plans for a macro -level watershed development project for an area of 400 H.a in the west of Coimbatore which is to be implemented simultaneously within 5 years’ time.

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Our testimonials

The pond in our locality was not like a pond with even surface, it was used as a dump yard and open defecation ground. Siruthuli along with Bosch came forward to clean up the place, removed the debris, strengthened the bunds and increased the depth. The people of the Panchayat take responsibility for maintaining it. "
Jeyapal
JeyapalLocal Stakeholder
“The pond in our location had filled up with debris. Siruthuli along with Bosch, cleaned up and desilted the pond and the depth of the pond has increased, this will be very useful in our area. We thank the team for the activity”foothills of cloud carrassed Western guards . It was late in 2003, when summer was creeping in."
Arumugakavudanur Pond
Arumugakavudanur PondLocal Stakeholder
“In my tenure as ADGP of Prisons in 2017, thanks to the eco-conscious efforts of Siruthuli the once barren neglected land inside the Central Prison has become a green forest with close to 11500 trees. This has given an opportunity for the inmates to nurture the trees and give back to society.”

Dr C SylendraBabu IPS
Dr C SylendraBabu IPSDGP , Head of Police Force
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