4 months ago
1
The agelong of the Cheyyar stream successful Kancheepuram territory is acceptable to get its 3rd retention operation this month. Though the territory received near-normal northeast monsoon rainfall, localities adjacent the stream study a amended groundwater array arsenic h2o travel persists adjacent the upcoming Silambakkam anicut.
The enactment to physique the ₹35.21 crore operation successful Uthiramerur taluk is successful the last stages of completion and revetment enactment and desilting of proviso channels are being carried retired by the Water Resources Department (WRD). Once completed, it would amended irrigation, enactment drinking h2o needs and recharge groundwater successful parts of Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts.
The caller anicut is being constructed betwixt Uthiramerur anicut and Vengacheri anicut astatine the 171st km of Cheyyar stream successful Kancheepuram. The 475-metre-long operation with a tallness of 1.5 metres would assistance irrigate an ayacut of astir 1,623.54 acre successful villages, including Magaral, Silambakkam, Oghukarai, and Vengaram successful Kancheepuram and Arasanipalai, Punnai, and Pudupalayam successful Tiruvannamalai district.
The Cheyyar stream is simply a large tributary of Palar stream that originates successful Jawadhu Hills, Tiruvannamalai territory and merges with Palar astatine Thirumukoodal.
Officials of the WRD said the structure, which would divert h2o for irrigation, would provender Vayalathur stream transmission and tanks similar Magaral and Arasanipalai. It is 1 of the 5 anicuts which was projected to beryllium built successful the State successful 2022, and for which enactment began successful June 2023.
“The enactment was delayed for 2 years owed to continuous travel successful the river, and the existing anicuts recorded surplus flows past twelvemonth too. Groundwater astir the caller operation has improved and is disposable astatine a extent of 10 feet. The h2o stored and diverted done the operation volition besides recharge 132 wells successful the neighbourhood,” said an official.
Residents of Uthiramerur taluk said the stream was a important root for irrigation and drinking facilities. Uthiramerur and Madurantakam tanks that person bully retention aided groundwater recharge.
V.K. Perumal of Vedapalayam, said galore farmers cultivated chiefly paddy and horticulture crops. “Water is disposable astatine a extent of 10-15 feet successful areas adjacent to the stream and tanks, though monsoon rainfall was lower. I americium capable to irrigate my fields much frequently. But villages to the westbound of Uthiramerur vessel and immoderate taluks look the hazard of shortage arsenic galore h2o bodies person little storage.”
Farmers successful villages similar Kaliyampoondi said proviso channels to tanks successful villages similar Perunagar indispensable beryllium desilted to transportation Cheyyar h2o to much villages. They besides sought caller retention structures astatine Venkudi and Vishar villages crossed the Palar successful Kancheepuram district.
Officials said though the territory received lone mean monsoon rainfall, the Cheyyar and Palar rivers, which assistance drinking h2o requirements successful Chennai’s periphery, retained travel for astir 3 months owed to bully rainfall upstream. The caller anicut, located successful an overexploited groundwater zone, is expected to provender proviso channels and tanks adjacent during thin periods.
