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Tamil Nadu Government plans to construct 1,000 check dams and barrages in the next 10 years across the State to conserve water resources for sustainable use and benefit farmers, according to the Water Resources Department. An announcement in this regard was also made in the recent Budget Speech..
In the first phase, it has been proposed to construct barrages across Cauvery, Kollidam and Thamirabarani rivers.
The construction of a series of check dams and artificial recharge will enrich the groundwater aquifer. Artificial recharge techniques enhance the sustainable yield in areas where over-development has depleted the aquifer, conservation and storage of excess surface water for future requirements and improve the quality of existing ground water through infiltration. Further, it is environment friendly, controls soil erosion/flood and provides sufficient soil moisture even during summer months.
Inter-linking of Rivers
The State government is taking efforts to implement the Inter-linking of Rivers Project to alleviate the water shortage in Tamil Nadu, the Water Resources Department Policy note 2021-22 said. In fact, the State government has been urging the Centre to implement the inter-linking of peninsular Rivers - Mahanadhi - Godavari - Krishna - Pennar - Palar - Cauvery - Vaigai - Gundar.
Also read: TN must focus on irrigation
The State government has sent comments on the draft detailed project report of Godavari – Krishna – Pennar – Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link to enhance the quantum of water proposed to be transferred to the State since it is a water deficit State and to take the link at a higher contour and terminate at Cauvery (Kattalai Barrage) instead of at Cauvery (Grand Anicut). This will be helpful to supply water to the needy areas and to transfer water to Vaigai and Gundar Rivers, the policy note said.
The State government is also taking steps to improve water supply to Chennai city. The desilting of water supply tanks in Chennai- Cholavaram; Poondi reservoirs and Chembarampakkam - is in progress at an estimated cost of ₹20.44 crore. Further, desilting of Red Hills tank is to be taken shortly up at an estimated cost of ₹9.90 crore. By desilting these four city water supply tanks, total capacity of about 1.904 t.m.c. ft. will be restored.
A new reservoir is being formed by upgrading the capacity of Kattur and Thatamanji tanks from 58.27 Mcft. to 350 Mcft. in Tiruvallur district at an estimated amount of ₹62.36 Crore. In addition, 5,804.38 acre of ayacut will be benefited.
The restoration of Adyar River from origin to sea mouth by implementing 56 short-term sub projects by seven departments for an amount of ₹555.46 crore under Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust funds is under progress, the policy note added.
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