CHENNAI: Though it has been a year since the Tamil Nadu government passed an order to desilt four main reservoirs of Chennai, negligible progress has been made since then. Only Cholavaram reservoir has been partly desilted in the first phase since March 2019. Pending court cases and inter-departmental issues are proving to be major hurdles that are slowing down desilting work in the other three reservoirs, sources said.
The city is reeling under water crisis since 1995. The last three months would have been the ideal time for the State government to pick up pace on desilting as there was no significant rainfall.All four reservoirs had hit their lowest water levels by April itself which made it an ideal time to remove nearly six crore cubic metres of silt. As the reservoirs have not been desilted in decades, only 80 per cent of their actual combined storage is put to use. But, due to the State government’s lethargic attitude, plans remain only on paper.
Officials of Water Resources Department who have been entrusted with this project, said second phase of desilting work will start in Cholavaram by next week. About 80,000 cubic metres of soil has been removed since March out of the total 38 lakh cubic metres. Simultaneously, the first phase of desilting will start at Chembarambakkam reservoir too, officials said.
According to official data, Cholavaram and Chembarambakkam reservoirs have 50 per cent and three per cent of their total volumes occupied by silt. Desilting works in the other two reservoirs, Red Hills and Poondi, have not started yet though work order was issued for the former six months ago. “Both reservoirs are stuck in pending court cases because of which contractors are hesitating to take up the project. But, we will speed up work in the other two reservoirs,” said a senior WRD official.
Because of rain in the past few days, officials said the beds of the reservoirs have become damp. Continuous rain of minimum 50 mm each day is necessary to generate some run-off water. “On Thursday, the city received about 57 mm of rain, but only four mm on Friday. Continuous rain is needed in order to increase its water levels. But, the water scarcity has become less severe now as groundwater table has been considerably recharged,” the official said.
Factfile
State government proposed desilting four reservoirs in 2016-17. Work orders issued in 2018
After much delay tender process began in February 2019
Second phase of desilting in Cholavaram and first phase in Chembarambakkam to start next week
Desilting of Red Hills and Poondi stuck in litigation
Cholavaram, Poondi, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam have 50%, 22%, 18% and 3% of silt occupation
Close to six crore cubic metres of silt has accumulated over decades and will generate `670 crores revenue for the State, if removed