CHENNAI : The state government’s much-delayed project to construct a fifth reservoir at Tiruvallur district is nearing completion. It will be functional in three months as 60 per cent of construction work is completed, said officials from the Water Resource Department. The reservoir, located near Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border, is being built at a capacity of 1 tmc ft and will be an additional source of drinking water for the city from April 2019. “Around `240 crore has been spent on acquiring land in Thervoy Kandigai and Kannankottai. Once compensation money is distributed to the 800-odd displaced families by this month, the remaining construction work will be completed,” said an official.
The progress of this `330 crore-project which involves linking two water bodies located at these two villages has been repeatedly delayed due to stringent opposition from farming communities.According to media reports, though officials claimed a year ago that the project will be completed by April 2017, it has been delayed by more than two years due to stiff opposition from farmers in acquiring nearly 600 acres of land in Kannankottai village. The project, which will provide around 65 MLD of drinking water, was first proposed in 2011, and 2015 was set as the deadline for completing it.
With rains failing this month, water levels in four reservoirs of Poondi, Red Hills, Chembarambakkam and Cholavaram has gone down from 2.4 tmc ft in end of June and currently stands at 1.8 tmc ft. Officials said that current reservoir levels will provide water for only the next 60-70 days. “As water has been released from Mettur Dam, Veeranam lake will receive a steady inflow of 2,000 cubic feet per second and fill up to its full capacity in 20-25 days. This will take care of any water shortage in the city,” said a senior official.
in short
The reservoir is being created at 1,488 acres of land (800 acres of patta land and 688 acres of poromboke land)
Located 14 km away from Uthukottai, it’s the state’s entry point for the Kandaleru- Poondi canal
Initial deadline for completion of project was September 2015
Further delay in framing guidelines for land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement act
Work to be carried out in 400 acres of land where villagers have sown crops. Had to be halted for three months till crops were harvested in 2015